A Killer in Me
by Mebrireth
Summary: Post-ROTK. When a string of murders plague Gondor, suspicions soon turn to a battle-weary Legolas, including his own....reviews and criticism welcome! FINISHED!
1. Default Chapter

Author's Note: Here we are, as promised, the start of a spanking new story! If you previously read "Bound in Blood" I have finally gotten up individual responses in the review section, so check that out if you haven't already. And yes, I still make no money from these stories and claim no brilliance from Tolkien.  
  
Small Warning: This is the beginning of an angsty piece, mainly Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn. If you don't particularly care for dark stories, you might want to refrain from reading.  
  
A Killer in Me  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Legolas lay quietly, his breath filtering slowly in and out of his body. If he concentrated long enough, perhaps he could make the breath come more easily, make it come without the burning sensation. His lungs were refusing to work properly and it was turning out to be actual work to breathe, but that almost seemed like the least of his problems at the moment.  
  
His most immediate problem was probably the ring of angry men surrounding him. Legolas wished he could stand, get up to face them properly, explain to them that they had it all wrong.  
  
But that was definitely too much work for his defeated body.  
  
So he was content to merely lay quietly, trying not to move anything, only allowing the obligatory rise and fall of his chest as he continued to fight for breath. As long as he kept breathing, all would be well. That was the one fight he could not lose.  
  
Legolas blinked.  
  
He wished that his vision would clear up. It had been a while now, and still the black dots danced before his vision, obscuring all that was around him. He could not even make out the faces of those around him anymore, only knew that there was a faceless mass blocking him off from everything else.  
  
His hearing was proving to be a problem as well.  
  
A soft ringing occupied his sensitive ears, making all other sounds around him muffled. He supposed it had something to do with the severe blow that had caught him on the temple, but he did not want to think about that for too long. The reasons behind his current condition were a waste of time and excessive effort.  
  
Yet even with his hearing as it was, he thought that he could make out a distinctive voice above all the others. The sound of his dear friend Gimli came through to him faintly.  
  
Legolas tried to focus on where the sound was coming from, he so wanted to see his friend at the moment, but lifting his head was out of the question and his peripheral vision was severely limited. All he could do was stare straight ahead, up into the black sky dotted with bright stars. He could also see the fringes of acrid smoke rising from too many raised torches, but he could not help that either.  
  
'Ai Elbereth,' Legolas thought dismally to himself, 'is this how it will all end after all? Another casualty of violence, fitting that my death will mirror my life.'  
  
He could sense the bitterness in his own thoughts, but did not care about that either. If it was all going to end like this, so be it. He would do what he could, but he would no longer fight. He was done, he had given up. They could take his life without any more complaint from him, he wanted the peaceful oblivion of death. It would take him away from the harshness that had become his existence.  
  
Or he so vainly hoped.  
  
He wondered briefly why the men did not simply get it done and over with, why they intended on torturing him so. And it was not even their actions that were torturing him, but his own traitorous thoughts. He was recalling every misdeed and conflict in his long life, and he had accumulated quite a list by now.  
  
'Just do it,' he cried out. Or thought he had cried out. His mouth was beyond obeying him as well, along with the rest of his body. He felt sorry about that, to give up on his body like this. No wonder it did not want to listen to him anymore, he was rendering it useless, signing its death warrant.  
  
'But it will be better,' he reassured himself, 'the pain will stop then, the guilt that eats into me like a plague.' Yet even with the thoughts of peace, his body still did not want to give up quite yet. It still fought to breathe, and his eyes continued to blink to clear his vision.  
  
And even though he felt as though he had given up, he was still incredibly sad over the aspect. If he could, he would have cried or lamented the coming of his own death. But of course, and thankfully, he had no control over tear ducts as well.  
  
He was simply numb, and still, and waiting calmly for it all to be over.  
  
His days as a warrior were over, he would fight no more.  
  
Legolas heard another shout from Gimli, his friend. There was a loud shuffle accompanying the shout, as if something had pushed something else out of the way and was fighting to break through.  
  
Legolas would have smiled if he could.  
  
That was Gimli, his friend would truly never stop fighting. He would never give in, he would fight all the way into the tomb even, so stout was his heart.  
  
The thought was sobering to the elf.  
  
Gimli would be ashamed of him now, for giving up like this. He would not understand, his years did not stretch endlessly on like Legolas' could, granting him perpetual suffering and guilt. Time healed all wounds supposedly, but Legolas knew that there was not enough time left in the world to repair his.  
  
It was definitely better this way.  
  
Gimli will understand eventually, Legolas comforted himself, he will move on with his life. He always was the stronger of the two, though I would never let him know that. Legolas frowned inwardly, there were a lot of things that I did not let him know.  
  
Movement came back to his body, but it was not of his own doing.  
  
One of the brave men from the angry mob had graced the helpless elf with a swift kick to the ribs. Legolas' body jerked, and he was surprised that he could still feel the pain from it. He had thought that all sensation had left his body by now. Apparently he still had a long way to go.  
  
I could just try to get up, Legolas tested a new idea, but what good would it do in the end? Whether he went out on his feet or on his back made little difference to him right now.  
  
Legolas smirked.  
  
This obviously meant he was not a true warrior. A warrior would always go out on his feet, fighting until the last breath, like something Gimli would do. A warrior would never simply lie down and wait for death, it was too easy.  
  
But I did try, Legolas consoled himself.  
  
When they had first come upon him, he had tried. But his hand had been so reluctant to shed any more blood, so much of it had been spilled already. And perhaps that had been his true downfall, the compassion he had always been cursed with. Too much emotion, that had always been one of his problems, his father and teachers had always tried to lessen his emotions, to bring him into the untouchable state of a true warrior, but he had never been able to quite learn the trick.  
  
He had failed.  
  
'And now I shall pay the price,' he continued to think his bitter thoughts.  
  
There was the sound of more scuffling and shouting after the elf received the well-placed kick. Apparently his dwarf friend did not like that.  
  
A voice came out of the din of the crowd and Legolas could make out the words that it spoke. "Leave this place dwarf, this is a matter concerning the elf only."  
  
The muffled reply came to Legolas as well. "Any matter concerning the elf concerns me as well. You cannot take the law into your own hands, King Elessar will be the one to decide what to do."  
  
"King Elessar is blind when it comes to the murderous elf!" a different voice cried. Legolas could not turn to see who.  
  
Yet he continued to hear his friend defend him. "That is because he knows Legolas as he truly is. In all of your blind eagerness you have not stopped to think that you have the wrong man!"  
  
The crowd stirred somewhat and it looked as though they would soon be turning their attentions to Gimli as well. Legolas wanted to call out, to tell Gimli that it was useless, he might as well get himself out of there and save himself any possible harm. But Legolas could not get his mouth to open and his voice died in his throat.  
  
'How did it all become this bad?' Legolas thought to himself. His dismal mind turned back, searching for the point where it had all started to go so wrong. As for himself, he knew exactly what had been wrong, where the start point had been. But for the rest of it, it was hard to say. How had he allowed things to get so completely out of control? Enough so that his one true friend was now in danger himself?  
  
'You have two true friends,' Legolas mentally corrected himself. Of course, Aragorn had been nothing but supportive as well, though Legolas never had been able to figure out why. If Aragorn were here now, he might have been able to reverse the situation.  
  
'No one can save you now,' Legolas' own thoughts taunted him. 'A fallen warrior without dignity, that is how I shall be remembered, along with being a murderer. But I suppose they could be right, there is no other who could have done it.'  
  
Legolas drifted back to when the first murder had taken place, when all of the suspicions had arose. So much had happened in such a small amount of time. Nobody could be that perfect and get away with it all 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Nope, I aint Tolkien and make no profits, so whatever. Enjoy if you want, hate if you like. Thanks so much for all the reviews and here's the next chapter!  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The War of the Ring was over. The Ring-bearer had completed his mission and Sauron had been defeated even as the rest of them had stood tall before the Black Gate, preparing to fight to the death. It was to be a time of great victory and celebration, and Legolas was to supposed to be a part of it all. As one of the famed nine walkers, he was a hero, one of the greatest warriors in Middle-Earth.  
  
But something inside of Legolas always held back his joy.  
  
In the immediate months following one of the greatest victories by the free peoples of Middle-Earth Legolas participated in every celebration there was with the rest of his brave friends. By day, he was just as happy as the rest of them, celebrating life and all it had to offer. But at night he often found himself out alone underneath the trees away from the main parts of the city of Gondor. He was unable to sleep and his thoughts plagued him as he walked in the dark forests.  
  
Legolas spoke to no one of his feelings, he did not even understand them himself, so how could he expect anybody else to? Even Gimli, with whom he had forged a bond closer than he had ever thought he would with anybody, knew nothing of his troubles.  
  
Or that was how Legolas thought.  
  
To his close friends, especially to Gimli, it was obvious that something was bothering the elf. His once bright eyes were dimmer than they should have been and he did not sing as often as he used to. And when he did sing, the songs he chose were often tinged with sadness.  
  
His friends hopefully accredited his melancholy to the sea longing. He would become in better spirits as soon as he became busy again, was their reasoning on the matter. Yet even when Legolas brought elves with him out of the newly renamed Greenwood and undertook the restoration of the woods of Ithilien, he still remained distant and his condition seemed to be incurable.  
  
Such was the state Gimli found his friend in when he burst into his room one night. Three years had passed since the War of the Ring and Aragorn had called Legolas and Gimli back to Gondor. Gimli often dwelled within the walls of Gondor himself, continuing to help with the stone work and fortifying the city. Legolas chose to remain within the woods of Ithilien, close to Gondor but far enough away from the bustle of the city that often wore him down. He visited Gondor often, adding his own touches to the rebuilding of the city with woodwork and the planting of trees, but it had been a few months since he had been back to the city, the longest he had been gone yet from his friends.  
  
And so when Gimli heard the news that his friend had arrived late in the evening he went straight for the room that was given to the elf prince whenever he came. Nobody else was ever permitted to use the room, King Elessar would have it no other way. The remaining friends of the fellowship still held an intense bond and small privileges and rights were not out of the ordinary.  
  
The dwarf pushed through the door loudly, not bothering at all with the formalities of knocking. He was slightly angered that his friend had not sought him out as soon as he had arrived, but his excitement mingled with it, causing only an excessive hum of energy through the dwarf. He clomped eagerly through the door, a smile spread across his face.  
  
His energy dimmed somewhat when he caught sight of his friend and he faltered in his step. Legolas sat unnaturally balanced on a windowsill on the far side of the room, his gaze locked on the somber evening of the outside. Gimli knew he had to have heard him coming, even before Gimli reached the room, but Legolas did not turn his head to acknowledge his presence right away. It was a few seconds between the time Gimli clomped in to the time Legolas finally turned, and this was what caused the falter in the dwarf's steady step. His smile slipped and he stood still in his spot, scrutinizing his fair friend.  
  
When Legolas finally did turn from the window an automatic smile came to his face, but the expression did little to please the dwarf. Gimli locked eyes with Legolas, and the elf's stare was unnerving, enough to actually make the hairs on the back of Gimli's neck stand. Not that Legolas' stare normally was not disturbing, he had a bad habit of forgetting who he was with and falling into a tireless stare that did not blink when he was being spoken to. Gimli understood such a thing must be common for the elves, but he often found himself kindly asking Legolas to either blink for himself or be assisted in the act. Legolas would usually laugh and avert his eyes for the moment before returning them again, yet with less intensity.  
  
However it was not merely the lack of blinking that disturbed Gimli this time, but the void that seemed to be within them. For a moment, just when he turned from the window, Gimli could see the stars from outside reflected within the elf's eyes. Yet even as he looked, the image faded, only to be replaced by a dimness that had become all too common in Legolas' eyes.  
  
Gimli physically shook his head when he became aware of the silence that had stretched between them. He would worry about stars and voids later, he told himself, now he should be enjoying the fact that his friend was back.  
  
As usual, Gimli offered an insult to pass as a greeting. "Is it often courtesy of the elves to ignore their friends and hide in their rooms when they have been away for so long?"  
  
The smile plastered on Legolas' face dissolved somewhat. "It has hardly been long enough," he said softly.  
  
Gimli frowned. This was not the reaction he had been expecting. Normally Legolas would laugh and then feign dignity as he retaliated by insulting the way of the dwarves before explaining why as an elf his customs were better. Gimli added this as one more thing to a small mental list he was acquiring, for what and for what purpose he was unsure of, and stepped forward.  
  
"Well then I shall greet my friend as is my want even if he desires it not," Gimli replied as he moved to Legolas' side and reached up to wrap him in a overly-tight embrace.  
  
Legolas returned the embrace after catching his breath from the tight grip and said softly, "I desire the warm affections of a friend, even if he is foolish enough to think I do not."  
  
Gimli smiled when he heard this, that was more like it. Nothing like friendly insults to make him feel better. Gimli released Legolas and took a small step back.  
  
"Come friend, it is not yet late and I have been anxious to have you try what I feel is the best ale Gondor has yet to offer."  
  
Legolas arched an eyebrow at his request. "Is it the best because of some dwarven ingredients to the recipe?"  
  
Gimli looked indignant. "I will not let you be prejudiced by your knowledge, come and decide with a free will that it is the best."  
  
Legolas let out a small laugh. "Then with your incessant urging I could do no less than to come and see for myself." With that the elf moved in one fluid motion, in which Gimli could not quite catch how he did it, off of the windowsill and stood before the dwarf. "I will follow," he said simply.  
  
Gimli only nodded in replied and turned on his heel before marching out of the room, Legolas following silently and as always amazed by the amount of noise the dwarf could make. A few months time passage was at least enough to forget the noise a single being could create by walking. 'But not enough time to forget other things,' his mind added calmly. Legolas gave his head half a shake. These days it almost seemed as though he had separate voices inside his head and a constant battle between rationale and guilt raged between them. It was enough to drive anyone crazy, and Legolas did not like the thought of losing control over himself.  
  
Silently, Legolas followed the dwarf out of the room and down the long hall of the immense structure that Aragorn himself dwelled within. Legolas had seen Aragorn when he had first arrived as the king of Gondor had come out to greet him. Their reunion had been brief however and Aragorn had been called away on some sort of business, leaving Legolas to settle by himself. Not that he wholly minded of course, Legolas often preferred to be alone.  
  
They exited the building and traveled a short distance down the currently being planked streets to a small inn. Gimli walked in with absolutely no hesitation, and his arrival was greeted by many shouts and other exclamations of greeting. Apparently the dwarf had become quite popular, especially in the taverns.  
  
Legolas winced slightly before stepping into the smoke-filled room. He could sense immediately the multitude of bodies that were gathered in the crowded room and the noise that came from them was almost deafening to his sensitive ears. But Legolas knew he could not abandon his friend now, so with a small sigh he followed the dwarf in who had not even noticed his hesitation.  
  
Gimli made a beeline for the long table at the far end of the room that separated the bartender from the customers. He slid onto a low stool, one that Legolas suspected had been made especially for him, and greeted the bartender in a loud manner that was customary to dwarves.  
  
The bartender immediately abandoned his current customers and with a speed that did not seem possible for a man his size came over to Gimli. "Hello sir, I suspect you want the special today?"  
  
Gimli grinned. "Aye, and I also want an extra special for my friend here. I have already claimed it to be the best ale yet, so I trust that you will not prove me to be a fool."  
  
The bartender smiled. "I hope that I can live up to your most worthy word." He turned to prepare the drinks, but not before fixing Legolas with a short stare. His expression was half curious and half wary, and Legolaas picked up on all of that before he had sense enough to turn away. Legolas was certainly no stranger to Gondor, but he found that he was still a source of uncertainty for men who were not used to elves. He was still treated as a hero, but it was with a careful respect that required never having to come closer to the elf than was necessary.  
  
'And can you blame them?' his condescending voice was back, 'They are smart enough to sense the danger, pick up on the fact that you have spilled more blood in less time than their lifespan.' Legolas shifted uncomfortably on the stool he had seated himself on and lowered his head, his hair falling forward to cover the pointed tips of his ears.  
  
The bartender was back in no time, proving that he was indeed ignoring the other customers. With a small flourish he placed one of the large stone mugs in front of Gimli, and then the other in front of Legolas with less enthusiasm. "I am unsure of how your tastes run," he stuttered slightly as he addressed Legolas, "but I hope that it lives up to master Gimli's boasts."  
  
Legolas picked up the mug and seeing how the bartender would not leave until he thought Legolas to be satisfied, took a small swig from it. He lowered the mug and an automatic smile came to his face, giving the bartender leave to tend to the other customers. The bartender smiled a bit hastily before turning away quickly and finally seeing to the neglected customers.  
  
Gimli was watching Legolas carefully. "Well?" he asked the elf, "What do you think?"  
  
At the moment, Legolas would have much rather preferred water. He never could quite understand why mortals seemed to be so fond of the bitter liquid, and this seemed to him to be the same as every other he had tasted. But he turned to his friend with his smile still unmoving. "It is fitting for a dwarf," he said.  
  
As it was, Gimli accepted the compliment, not noticing that Legolas had left it vague on purpose. "Indeed it is," he said before taking up his own mug and downing a long swig.  
  
Legolas made a sudden decision and quickly drained the mug of what was left of its contents. He placed it down when he was done, not caring about how much he had just consumed as it hardly affected his system, and turned to Gimli.  
  
Placing his hand on the dwarf's shoulder, he said, "Forgive me for parting so quickly, but I must take my leave now. I have matters to see to tonight, but if you wish I will come to you first thing in the morning."  
  
Gimli was silent for a few moments. Normally he and Legolas spent the bulk of their time together, especially after being reunited after a long separation. But he did not wish to press the issue and risk angering the elf, so he gave a small nod.  
  
"I will see you in the morning," Legolas repeated as he stood smoothly from his stool.  
  
Gimli nodded again, "Of course, fare the well my friend."  
  
Legolas smiled, "Have a good night Gimli." And then he was gone, fading quickly into the crowded atmosphere.  
  
Gimli frowned at the suddenness of his friend's departure. 'I shall have to find out what bothers him later on,' he promised to himself before returning his attentions back to his drink while simultaneously waving the bartender back over for more. 


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Ah, see, I'm already doing well with the timely updates. As always, thanks so much for the lovely reviews, I'm glad people seem to be enjoying the story already, that's always a good sign! And nope, I'm still not Tolkien, I never made up any languages, and I receive no money for this (sigh). So here you are, enjoy!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Morning came and Gimli dragged open his eyelids, squinting at the bright sun that shone through his window. He debated on closing his eyes and rolling over to fall back asleep when a though suddenly struck him. The sun was quickly climbing its way out from the hills, it had been at least an hour since the sun had risen, and Legolas had not come to wake him. The elf was always up at the crack of dawn, prodding the drowsy dwarf to get out of bed.  
  
Gimli sat up in bed, his mind still moving slowly as it tried to make sense out of what all that meant. Legolas had not come to wake him. He had said he would come to visit him first thing in the morning.  
  
Wondering if perhaps something had befallen his friend, Gimli swung his legs over the side of the bed and climbed out of it, quickly dragging on his discarded clothing from the night before. When his clothing was situated, he went to the door and quickly made his way out of the room, striding down the hall towards Legolas' room.  
  
He paused at the door and after a small argument within himself on whether to knock or not, he pounded his fist twice against the door.  
  
There was no response.  
  
Frowning, Gimli pushed open the door and peered in from the doorway. The room was empty.  
  
Gimli was slightly confused at this fact, but told himself to think nothing of it. Perhaps Legolas had merely decided to go for a walk in the morning and would wake Gimli later. He knew Gimli did not rise as early as he did, perhaps he was just allowing the dwarf more time to sleep.  
  
Gimli closed the door again and turned to go back to his own room. As he turned, he gave out a small yell and braked immediately, his pulse automatically quickening as he tried to avoid running into a body that was barring his way while his hand simultaneously went to his side for an axe that was not there.  
  
It took him all of two seconds to realize that the one standing so closely behind him was the elf he was seeking. He struggled to regain his composure quickly and glared balefully up at Legolas.  
  
Legolas was of course smiling.  
  
"Having trouble finding your way back to your room?" the elf questioned softly.  
  
Gimli gave a growl in response and stepped away from Legolas, allowing more room so he would not have to look so straight up. "I was having trouble finding the friend who seemed to have forgotten that he was to meet me in the morning."  
  
A small shadow passed over Legolas' features.  
  
"I apologize my friend," he said even more softly than before, "I imagined you would welcome the extra rest."  
  
Gimli snorted. "Since all is well now and we have both found what was missing, I suggest we make our way to the dining hall and have our morning meal."  
  
Legolas' smile spread slowly over his face again. "I always did think that the habits of the hobbits rubbed off on you."  
  
Gimli scowled. "The appetite of the dwarf was established long before the hobbits," he declared.  
  
Legolas smiled, "Of course." He moved to the side and gestured to Gimli with a sweep of his hand, "Shall we move to eat then?"  
  
Gimli only grunted in reply and moved past the elf, automatically leading the way. But his feigned anger was given away by the smile he was trying to hold back, and the soft laughter of the elf following him let him know that Legolas was not fooled in the slightest.  
  
They ate their breakfast quickly, with the bulk of the time spent by Legolas urging the dwarf to either eat faster or eat less. All Legolas ate for himself was a glass of water and some pieces of freshly made bread with fruit while Gimli dutifully ate what could have been the equivalent to a three course meal.  
  
"Morning's meal is not the time for heavy eating," Legolas chastised Gimli, "it will drag you down for the rest of the day."  
  
Gimli answered between chews and swallows, "You keep to your ways and I to mine and we shall see at the end of the day who comes out the better for it." Legolas laughed at the reply and the light banter between the two put Gimli in better spirits to see his friend thus. He was much more like his old self and nothing like how he had been the night before. Gimli hoped that whatever had been bothering him had been taken care of.  
  
When Gimli was finally done with his meal, Legolas prompted the dwarf to go for a walk with him through the city and perhaps into the fringes of the borders of Ithilien. After much groaning on his part, of which he only did to annoy the elf, Gimli complied and resigned himself to a morning of following an elf around who exclaimed over every tree and tried to get Gimli to see the beauty in them all.  
  
The two made their way out of the dining hall and then outside into the fresh air of the sunny morning. It looked as though it would be a beautiful day, and Gimli said as much.  
  
"Yes," Legolas agreed before pausing and frowning slightly, "but the air is charged with something else."  
  
Gimli was surprised at such an answer and turned to his friend to ask for an explanation, but he held his tongue when he noticed the elf standing still and straining his eyes to look off in the distance. Gimli looked out as well, but nothing seemed amiss to him, so he turned back to the elf to see if he could read what was happening through his expression.  
  
"What is it?" Gimli finally asked after a few moments.  
  
Legolas relaxed imperceptibly. "We shall find out soon enough."  
  
Gimli looked back in the direction Legolas had been focusing in and noticed two riders coming towards them. They were riding hard and Gimli assumed they must be coming this way to bring some sort of news to Aragorn.  
  
When they were within distance, Gimli held up his hand and beckoned them to stop. One of the riders noticed him and checked his horse, coming to a stop before the elf and the dwarf.  
  
"Lord Gimli," he said, "do you know where the King is this morning?"  
  
"He is most likely in some sort of meeting as always, what need do you have to see him?" Gimli answered.  
  
The other man answered for him. "There has been a murder."  
  
Gimli was shocked. These were peaceful times and there had not been any violent deaths since the War of the Ring. "How? Is the intruder still around?"  
  
"We do not know any more than we have just told you. We need to report to King Elessar and have him decide if an investigation needs to take place."  
  
Gimli nodded, "Of course. Come with me, I am sure I know where he is at the moment."  
  
Gimli started to move back from where they had just come, and he noted vaguely that Legolas silently followed. He had not said a word yet about any of this and the men did not direct any of their questions toward him. In fact, the elf hardly seemed surprised at all, his expression unchanging even as news of a murder came to them.  
  
Gimli led the small contingent through the winding hallways before stopping in front of a large door located on the left. He pounded on the door with his fist, as was his way of knocking, and stepped back expectantly. The door opened a few moments later and a wizened looking man peered out into the hallway.  
  
"Step aside good sir," Gimli spoke immediately, "we have a matter that is most urgent and have to speak with the King."  
  
The man looked unsure, but a voice behind him spoke up. "All is well Hirold, please let them pass."  
  
Still looking suspicious, the door man stepped to the side, revealing Aragorn standing behind him. He smiled when he saw Gimli, "Anything that master dwarf claims to be important must be so."  
  
"Aye," Gimli nodded as he pushed his way past the thin man and into the room, "but the news we carry is not well." Aragorn frowned but held his questions until all the men were inside the room and they had seated themselves at a large table that sat in the middle of the room. It was this room where Aragorn held most of his meetings, and he was thankful that it was empty at the moment.  
  
When they were all ready Aragorn nodded at Gimli, "Tell me of what happened Gimli."  
  
"As much as I would like to know, I will have to give leave to one of your messengers to speak, for they were the ones who brought us the news."  
  
Aragorn looked expectantly at the man closest to him. "There has been a murder," the man said softly.  
  
Aragorn's frown deepened. "Where?" he asked.  
  
"Just outside of the city gates, on the fringes of Ithilien's forest." The other man spoke up in turn.  
  
Aragorn looked puzzled. "Was there any signs of an intruder?"  
  
At this the two men looked at each other and then one of them glanced at Legolas who was sitting silently at the far end of the table near to Aragorn. "Well my lord," the first man spoke up, "from what we could tell, it was the work of an elf."  
  
That caused a reaction from Legolas. He sat up straighter in his chair and pierced the men with his clear eyes. "And how would you come to that realization?"  
  
The man closest to him squirmed. "Well, it's simply a guess, but the weapon that was used was not of our make, and the lines were very neat, very efficient. It would be hard for a man to do such a thing without effort."  
  
"So then it had to be an elf," Legolas cut off the man and filled in his sentence, his growing anger clearly writ upon his face.  
  
Aragorn held up his hand, staving off the confrontation. "There will be no more said about who did it or how it was done until we conduct a formal investigation. I will have some men sent out now and they will bring back the body so that I can look at it myself. Having experience with both men and elves I feel I can make a clear judgement."  
  
The men nodded before hastily excusing themselves, volunteering to gather a small group of men to go back to where they had found the body and scout the area before bringing it back. Legolas watched the men leave the room until the door closed, his eyes blazing upon their backs.  
  
'Yet can you blame them for their conclusion?' Legolas' haunting voice was back, 'An assassin can hardly be satisfied any other way.'  
  
Legolas sighed and shifted his gaze back only to find Aragorn staring intently at him. "Is everything well my friend?" he asked softly.  
  
"Yes," was the simple reply.  
  
When it was clear Legolas would not be adding anything more to his answer, Aragorn asked another question. "Has there been any reports of any rogue elves in the area?"  
  
"I assure you it was not an elf," Legolas' voice was thin and his features taut.  
  
Aragorn studied his friend with his dark eyes a moment longer before nodding. "I am sure you are right."  
  
"They are afraid of what they do not understand," Legolas interrupted. Aragorn was slightly startled by his revelation, but more at the bitterness in his voice. He had never seen his friend in a state such as this, and it was proving to be bothersome. Gimli was surprised as well, the elf was hardly ever in anything but a good mood.  
  
"I am sure you are right," Aragorn repeated again softly. And then they all fell silent as they waited for the unfortunate victim to be brought to them. 


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Alright then, here we are with more story. I love all of you guys for your reviews, they make me write faster (hint, hint). And for those of you who want to know what's up with Legolas and why he's acting this way, all I can say is you'll have to wait. (Come on, think of who you're dealing with here.) But as always, have faith and all will come clear eventually. And as always, I own nothing of Tolkien's brilliance, I only borrow due to lack of creativity on my part. And I should also mention that I probably don't even own any rights to the title as I took that from a Smashing Pumpkins song, so I'm just stealing left and right here. All I ask is that if you want more story you don't report me. :) Okay, that's quite enough babble, on with the mystery!  
  
Chapter 4  
  
A few hours had passed by the time another messenger came to see them, and the bulk of that time had been spent in silence by the former three hunters. Gimli paced about the room, often muttering to himself, while Aragorn went over a few documents that needed his approval. As for Legolas, he seated himself by a window and gazed silently out of it.  
  
"Somebody has come," Legolas finally murmured aloud. Both Gimli and Aragorn turned expectantly toward him, but then turned the opposite way when they heard the door open. A man pushed his way through and paused to catch his breath, as though he had been running a good distance to bring them news.  
  
Aragorn waited patiently while the man sucked in a breath and then said to them, "The body lays within the houses of healing my lord."  
  
Aragorn nodded his thanks and gave leave to the man before turning to beckon Legolas and Gimli to come with him. Gimli followed anxiously at his heels while Legolas followed more placidly a few feet behind them.  
  
As they made their way down the street to the houses of healing, Aragorn noted that a small crowd had gathered and was watching the king's progression avidly. Apparently news traveled fast.  
  
Legolas was painfully aware of the scrutiny their group received as they walked, and his sharp ears overheard the word elf more than a few times and he saw some people pointing him out to one another. Legolas bristled at this on the inside, obviously they too had heard that some were under the impression that this was the work of an elf.  
  
'They are right to fear you as they do,' Legolas' unbidden mental thoughts came forth once again. 'They can see the unrest in you, the weariness that comes from so much bloodlust.'  
  
'But I am done with fighting,' Legolas thought back to himself, wondering briefly why it always seemed as though there were two voices in his head. 'I only wish to live in peaceful times.'  
  
'An assassin does not know the meaning of peace. The bloodlust will drive you mad until it is satisfied again.'  
  
Legolas shook his head slightly, silencing the battling thoughts. When his head had cleared, he noticed that they now stood before the houses of healing. This surprised Legolas more than his traitorous thoughts. He had actually lost track of time and where they were going, slight as it was. That had never happened to him before.  
  
Aragorn had already entered the small building and Gimli had paused next to the door, looking back and waiting for Legolas to enter. He seemed confused when Legolas finally came back to his surroundings and took an abrupt step forward, but he said nothing about it and only followed the elf inside.  
  
The air was always slightly cooler in the houses of healing as there were little windows. The dim atmosphere helped to calm patients and, truth to be told, helped keep the bodies preserved longer. Silently, the three were led into one of the first rooms, and in the center of the room laid out on a stone slab was the victim.  
  
Legolas almost paused when he first entered the room. He had not been expecting the body to be in a state such as what it was in. The victim was a male, that much was clear, and a rather large male, but it looked as though he had not even stood a chance.  
  
Legolas first immediately noticed that his throat was laid open, and Legolas had to admit that it was done neatly, a single precise line as opposed to a jagged wound. In addition to the throat wound, which Legolas suspected must have been the last and fatal wound, his right palm was slashed through the center so that he would be unable to hold a sword and his left shoulder was laid open to the bone so that it would be difficult to rotate it and move his arm. Finally, Legolas' keen eyes caught that on the bottom of the man's right leg there was a small pool of blood. The tendons in the back of his heel had been slashed.  
  
Legolas could not help but note that most of the vital areas one normally concentrated on for defeating a foe had been destroyed. This was not merely an ambush by a rogue, but the work of a trained individual.  
  
Aragorn had been quietly bending over the body, making the same assessments Legolas made from a slight distance. After a few moments he straightened with a sigh. He looked at Legolas and the elf solemnly met his dark gaze.  
  
"This was done by an elvish blade," he said softly.  
  
Legolas took in a deep breath and closed his eyes.  
  
"Though it is almost impossible to tell if the wielder of the blade was an elf or not," Aragorn continued hastily.  
  
Legolas re-opened his eyes slowly. As much as he hated to admit it, he could understand why the men had been so quick to blame an elf. The work was done so strategically and perfectly, and it had to have been done with great speed. There was hardly ever enough time in a fight to focus on several different spots at once such as had been done here. The man had probably been down before he even knew what hit him.  
  
And there was one more thing Legolas had to admit.  
  
The body held almost all of the marks that an elf learned to focus on when in training. It was almost as if the man had been merely used as a practice target, a game.  
  
Legolas shifted his eyes away from the body and found that Aragorn was still watching Legolas closely. When the elf moved his eyes back to his, Aragorn turned his eyes down and back onto the body, systematically going through all of the wounds. Though Legolas did not voice any of his thoughts, he had to wonder if Aragorn knew what he did, if he too knew the places an elf focused on when fighting. Aragorn had never shared that particular knowledge with Legolas, but it was not a far-fetched idea, he had grown up around elves after all.  
  
Gimli looked at the body as well, but he did not know of special target areas or elvish styles of fighting. All he knew was that the job seemed to have been done extremely efficiently. Even as a dwarf, whose fighting methods were more brute force than strategy, Gimli thought that it had been overdone, there was no need for this many wounds.  
  
"Well," Gimli finally broke the silence that had come down upon them, "what is to be done now?"  
  
Aragorn sighed and straightened, "Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do but wait. If this was merely a one time thing done by a passing intruder, than there is no point in setting up a watch or extra guards. We will not know what to reinforce until it happens again. But I will send out a statement to the people, and inform them of what has happened so that they may not go out by themselves at nightfall."  
  
Aragorn paused and looked at Legolas again. "Let us pray this was merely a one time offense."  
  
Legolas gave a grim nod, his thoughts elsewhere. Gimli watched the exchange between the two, wondering if there was something he was missing. He decided to dismiss the idea when both Aragorn and Legolas turned to exit the room and he followed.  
  
Once outside of the houses of healing, Aragorn went off to announce the news to the heralds and to find the family of the poor victim so that they might identify him. Gimli and Legolas were thus left to themselves and they stood awkwardly outside of the houses of healing, unsure of where to go.  
  
Legolas took one look around at the crowd that was still gathered. They looked on with great interest, as if something of interest might happen right before them.  
  
"Do they not know that one of their own was just killed?" Legolas asked quietly.  
  
Gimli grunted. "That they do know, they just want to see who did it and who it will happen to next. Men are a morbid race."  
  
"Foolish would be my word for it," Legolas muttered before making a decision and heading off to the left, away from all of the activity. Gimli followed without even asking where the elf was planning on going.  
  
When they were well away from the crowd and heading towards the borders of Gondor, Gimli spoke up. "Do you think an elf could have done it?"  
  
"Anybody could have done it master Gimli," Legolas replied thinly, "even a dwarf with proper training."  
  
Gimli noted the manner in which Legolas spoke and decided to let the matter drop. They continued on in silence for a moment longer until Gimli asked casually, "So what did you do after leaving me to all the ale last night?"  
  
Legolas stopped abruptly in his tracks and fixed Gimli with an intense stare. Gimli stopped as well, startled by his friend's reaction. Legolas stared at him for a few moments before seemingly coming to some sort of conclusion and then he started on again without saying a word to Gimli.  
  
Gimli remained where he was, confusion plastered all over his face. "Do you wish to be alone?" he called after the elf's quickly retreating back.  
  
"If you please, master dwarf," Legolas called back without looking over his shoulder.  
  
Feeling even more confusion and a small sense of rejection, Gimli slowly turned and walked back towards the center of Gondor, hoping that all the elf needed was a few moments to himself before coming back to his senses. 


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Hello all you wonderful readers! Yes, I know, this chapter took a bit longer than usual, but I have been forced to face the reality that school work should actually take some thought and effort. (God I hate calculus.) Anyways, this chapter isn't too short so that should make up for it. And for those of you dying to know what's going to happen and knowing that I won't reveal it until the very last minute, you should take the wise words of a Prophetic reviewer into advice, "Be patient, be the Elf." I thought it was clever anyway. So yeah, I'm still not Tolkien and I still receive no money for my pitiful writing (sob) so this story does not really belong to me, nor the title which I already explained. But for what's left, enjoy!  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Legolas walked swiftly, his long legs eating up the ground as rapidly as they could. He moved in an unerring course, his one objective clear, to get away from the main parts of Gondor. He needed time to himself, away from the questions and suspicious eyes.  
  
And to think that Gimli, Gimli!, of all people, was beginning to suspect him as well.  
  
'It is not the suspicion of your friends that bothers you so,' Legolas thought mutinously inside of his head. He paused briefly and shook his head violently. He did not need to be thinking like that right now, he needed a clear head and time to calm himself.  
  
But his efforts were to no avail.  
  
'Gimli's question was bothersome only because of the fact that you could not readily answer it without swaying the suspicion even more in your favor.'  
  
Legolas stopped again. His breath was coming faster than he wished it to and he reached out a hand to steady himself on a tree trunk as he fought to bring it under control. He was not going to worry himself over something like this, he knew the truth, he knew he never would have done anything like that.  
  
'It is all that you know how to do, born and raised for the sole purpose of being a killer. One cannot defy life-long training.'  
  
Legolas closed his eyes. "No," he whispered softly aloud. He would not even begin to let himself believe it, for then there would be no reason to let anybody else not think that it was him.  
  
Hardly aware of what he was doing, Legolas pushed off of the tree and continued on his way into the forests that bordered Gondor. He was nearing Ithilien but had no intention of fully going that way. All he needed was a walk to clear his senses.  
  
Legolas stopped again.  
  
He had unconsciously gone on the same path he had taken last night. The one after he had left his friend to himself in the inn. Last night he had intended on going straight to his room and perhaps earning some extra rest for himself, but his feet had turned another way, taking him into the darkness of the trees, the only comfort he found for himself these days. It was an ill thing indeed that he could only find comfort in the darkness and away from his friends.  
  
But that was not the whole reason as to why Legolas stopped.  
  
Before his feet, in the light that was filtering brokenly through the overhanging of the trees, was a small groove in the ground. As if a body had lain there for a period of time. And the grass that was once green surrounding the impression was stained with red.  
  
Without a doubt, Legolas knew that this was where the body of the unfortunate mortal had been found that morning.  
  
The same place he had been last night.  
  
'That means nothing!' Legolas shouted inside of his head, 'I did not even hear anybody when I passed by.' But of course that was not entirely true either.  
  
As if he was watching a mirror form of himself from the night before, Legolas lapsed back and clearly saw in his mind the events of last night.  
  
He had left the inn only to wander underneath the trees. He remembered this spot when he had passed it the first time, for a small log lay next to it and he had paused briefly with one leg braced against it, noting that the area almost appeared as though it were a tiny groove. It was surrounded by trees on all sides and almost perfectly round, a nice temporary hideaway. Yet he had moved on after a moment or two and continued aimlessly on his way.  
  
It was a few hours later before he passed the spot again on his way back into town. Again he had paused, thinking the same thing he had before of the peculiar positioning of the random site. And that was when he had heard something.  
  
A man was clumsily making his way through the brush. Legolas easily heard him coming from more than a few feet and he could tell from the unstable sounds of his steps that he was drunk. Perhaps he had even had the "special" that Legolas himself had been privy to.  
  
Not wishing to be disturbed, Legolas had turned with every intention of disappearing into the trees and taking a roundabout way back to the House of Kings. He had had enough interaction with men for one day, albeit he had only recently arrived in Minas Tirith that evening, and had absolutely no desire to become the speculation of a drunk mortal.  
  
The sudden explosion of a bird from a tree overhead of Legolas snapped him out of his revelry. Due to the abruptness of his loss of focus and the fact that he was standing in the same spot as the night before, he was not entirely sure where he was. It was a slightly disconcerting feeling and for one second Legolas could not discern whether he truly was back in the present or was still recollecting his thoughts.  
  
When he established that he was indeed back to the present, for the marks that lay before his feet in the grass could not be ignored, he tried to go back and remember the rest of what had happened the night before.  
  
He recalled standing in the tiny glade, listening to a human stumble his way through the same thick brush that Legolas had passed through silently so recently. He remembered clearly thinking that he wanted to turn and be gone before the man ever noticed him or any trace of him.  
  
But then there was nothing.  
  
That was as far as Legolas could remember.  
  
Knowing that this was indeed a strange occurrence, for the memory of the elves was normally flawless, especially since it had only taken place the night before, Legolas racked his brain to come up with the remainder of the night.  
  
He had stopped and heard the man coming and wanted to get away from there.  
  
And then what?  
  
Legolas' mouth set in a grim line after a few moments as he came to a slight realization. He could not remember what had happened after that.  
  
Now he knew why Gimli's question had disturbed him so greatly.  
  
He could not answer it.  
  
Legolas made his way back into town by late afternoon. He made a straight way for the House of Kings, wanting to confine himself in his room and be left to solitude for a while longer before he was obligated to attend the evening meal.  
  
Yet it was no surprise when he was intercepted by an overzealous dwarf no more than a few feet from the very doors he was trying to disappear into. "Legolas, I am glad to see that you were able to find your way back. We were beginning to wonder where you had gone off to."  
  
The statement was meant to be light, a joke most assuredly, adding to the continuous friendly war the two eternally had engaged between each other. Gimli was no doubt setting Legolas up for some sort of joke that would be a blow to his elven pride, but the words sent a prickle of irritation running through the elf. Why were his whereabouts suddenly so important? Would they care as much if there had not been a killing?  
  
'It is smart to always know where a killer is. Perhaps they know that it is a fatal mistake to turn their backs on a trained assassin.'  
  
Legolas shook his head minutely at the familiar voice, and the small action did not go unnoticed by Gimli, nor did the fact that his friend did not respond to his joking in kind. Obviously the walk had not done him much good.  
  
"If you must have your dwarven curiosity settled master Gimli," Legolas heard himself speaking up before he could think it properly through, "I have been scouting the site of the killing trying to gather what information I can." Legolas let himself rest easy in the knowledge that it was not a complete lie, yet the intentions sounded more noble than they truly had been.  
  
Gimli looked immediately interested and all previous signs of light- heartedness left his face. "Was there any signs left by the killer?"  
  
Legolas froze his features to keep from frowning. He had not even thought of that when he had been there, he had not tried to investigate the area at all for any clues as to who might have done it, or even to be able to trigger and regain his blocked memory.  
  
"Not that I could tell," Legolas answered carefully, "it would be wise to bring in someone more skilled in that area."  
  
"I would wager that Aragorn would be able to tell right off. That ranger blood will never be quelled in him," was Gimli's faithful reply.  
  
Legolas managed a small smile for his friend, "Let us hope it never will."  
  
And as his friend turned to go find Aragorn so that Legolas may be able to report his happenings to him Legolas followed silently behind. As he walked, he found himself fighting down a small measure of panic. What if Aragorn were to go to the site and read tell-tale signs that it had been him?  
  
Ah, but what if he saw that it was not him?  
  
Legolas normally would take comfort in the latter thought, but an unnatural doubt was within him. He physically shrugged as he walked, as if he could shrug off his worries, but it did him no avail.  
  
"Well met Bergel," the booming voice of the dwarf snapped Legolas out of his thoughts. He looked up to see a man coming towards them, his intention to merely pass them and be on his way.  
  
The man looked up as well at the dwarf's overly loud greeting and squinted a few moments before a grin spread across his face, displaying crooked teeth.  
  
"Gimli," he returned the greeting with broken speech and enthusiasm, "how fares you friend?" The man came to a stop before them and Legolas regarded him quietly, not bothering to voice anything to him. The man seemed to respond in kind to Legolas and all but ignored the elf, his focus on the shorter being in front of him.  
  
Gimli nodded, "I am well, and you? I have not seen you since you lost our friendly competition in the inn."  
  
The man grinned foolishly, "I's is still under the thinking that you and the bartender were's in on it together. You cheated you did."  
  
Gimli looked astonished that the man would even suggest such a thing and replied back in the same loud tone of his greeting.  
  
Legolas looked down at his friend briefly in mild irritation, wondering why he insisted on speaking so loudly. But the reason became clear as soon as Legolas glanced at the man again. He had obviously been in service of the king for a while and had seen his share of battles, both of his ears were badly mutilated, leaving little more than stumps and scar tissue. The rest of his face held faint burn scars, and Legolas pegged that he had been victim to fire, possibly from Saruman's own blasting powder in the War of the Ring.  
  
By the time Legolas had assessed all of this, Gimli and Bergel had finished their short conversation.  
  
"I's will look for you later friend, but now I have an important message to run for the king." The man looked proud that he was appointed such a responsibility.  
  
Gimli nodded again, "I will look for you later in the inn. It seems we have important matters to settle." The man nodded and bowed awkwardly before flashing one more crooked smile, then he was making his way past them.  
  
Legolas arched an eyebrow at his friend once the man was gone and Gimli looked up. "He is a survivor from the War of the Ring," Gimli confirmed Legolas' suspicions, "Aragorn and I like to look after him. He can be a tad slow at times, but he has a good heart." Legolas only nodded and the two continued on into the conference room in silence.  
  
Aragorn looked up as soon as they entered, a pile of parchments placed before him on the long table. He pushed it all aside however and smiled at their approach.  
  
Gimli did not even wait for Aragorn to ask why they had come to him again. "We have important news for you," he stated.  
  
Something inside of Legolas balked. He hardly thought it was all that important, and Gimli had made it sound as if they had both gone out together.  
  
Aragorn raised his eyebrows. "Yes?"  
  
He looked at Gimli but when Gimli said nothing he turned his eyes to Legolas. "I went to the murder site," Legolas said quietly.  
  
Aragorn looked more interested. "And what did you discover?"  
  
Legolas glanced at Gimli, suddenly wishing that the dwarf had not thought it be so important that they come to speak with Aragorn. He truly had nothing of import to say to him and he would not lie to his friend.  
  
"I was unable to find any signs of the killer," Legolas replied, noting how empty and useless it sounded.  
  
"He was that clever in covering his tracks?" Aragorn asked immediately.  
  
"No, that is not what I meant," Legolas answered quickly, "I only feel that I lack the necessary skills to read everything that is there. Perhaps someone with more knowledge should search through it."  
  
Aragorn nodded, though his brows furrowed in slight confusion. He looked once more from Gimli back to Legolas and, seeing that they had no more to say, cleared his throat. "I thank you for your advice," he told them slowly, "I shall have someone sent out at once if I do not find the time to go out myself."  
  
Legolas and Gimli both nodded, and Legolas found himself fighting the same panic he had felt before at the mention that Aragorn be the one to investigate the site.  
  
"I will let you know how everything fares at the evening meal tonight," Aragorn continued, giving them a subtle invitation to take their leave.  
  
Gimli and Legolas took the leave and turned to exit the room to leave Aragorn to the rest of his matters. 


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: Ah, finally an update. I apologize for the inconvenience of those who were actually waiting for this chapter, but this one is fairly long and entertaining, at least I think so, so hopefully it will be worth it. Right then, not much more to say except that I still make absolutely no money from my writing (poor penniless writer) and there would be no point to sue as I would be unable to pay you money anyway. Maybe if I become really rich, then you can sue me, or just enjoy the story, either way, to each his own! And p.s. I looooooooove reviews, so let me know what you think!  
  
Chapter 6  
  
A few hours had passed since Gimli and Legolas had gone to see Aragorn and Legolas found himself once again following the dwarf into the large dining hall. It was time for the evening meal, and the dwarf was never one to be late for such important matters.  
  
Legolas looked about impassively as soon as they stepped within the room. Apparently they were early. The room was almost empty, and Legolas knew from experience that many normally attended the meals with their royalty, wanting to be in the company of their king, and Aragorn was only too happy to oblige. His heart was large and he never could turn anyone away.  
  
Legolas and Gimli took their seats near the head of the table. They sat together on the side that would be Aragorn's left hand, and they knew that across from them on the king's right hand would be the queen Arwen. Such was the arrangement in which they always sat.  
  
Only a few minutes had passed before the doors opened again and Aragorn and Arwen stepped inside hand in hand. All those that were in the dining hall immediately stood in respect, Legolas and Gimli included. Legolas was slightly confused at the sight of the royal pair; they were always the last to walk in. This meant that they were not early after all, apparently there was not going to be a large number of people in attendance for the meal.  
  
Despite the confusion at this, Legolas could not help but notice that something inside of him was secretly pleased.  
  
Solemnly, the king and queen of Gondor made their way to the head of the table where they then broke off from each other to take their appointed seats. Only when both Aragorn and Arwen were seated did everybody else retake their seats. Then the meal was served.  
  
Throughout the course of the meal, in which there was little to no conversation between the few attendees, Legolas found himself constantly watching the Evenstar seated across the table from him. And it was hardly her beauty and mannerism that held him so spellbound, though Legolas would be among the first to defend her honor against anybody who dared to defile her person or name in any way, but the way in which she interacted with the humans that were present. She smiled openly at them and easily made light conversation while the ones serving her looked as though it would be torture for them to leave her side and only did so to see to others reluctantly. She looked untouchable and unfathomable to anybody, yet there was never any hesitation to have a chance to interact with her.  
  
A feeling of disquiet tried to uncoil within Legolas and he willfully pushed it down.  
  
He would not allow himself to ponder on it for too long, for he knew what would come of letting his emotions have free reign, but he could not help but wonder at the ease of the humans around her. In his experience, humans were often aloof towards him. They respected him, of that he had no doubt, but it was with a cool detachment that was more awe than anything else. Legolas had always accredited this to the fact that he was an elf, one of the First Born. Men could do nothing but silently admire him. Yet here was Arwen, an elf as well, but treated almost as an equal. Not an equal in the sense that she was treated like a normal human, but the reverence held for her was the same to that as Aragorn, open and unyielding admiration, sometimes even bordering on love.  
  
For his part, Legolas loved them both and would protect them to the bitter end, but he felt that he had earned that right. Aragorn was the only human he had ever had an extreme closeness with, and though that was partially due to their trials with the Fellowship, Legolas always knew that he was a Dunadan and of the blood of Numenor, he was no ordinary human. The only other man Legolas had had close contact with was Boromir, also due to the Fellowship. Unfortunately, he had died early in the mission, and Legolas had not gotten a chance to see if he could forge a bond with a man that was not of extraordinary lineage. Of course there was always his brother Faramir, a man Legolas had much contact with in the restoration of Ithilien, but their relationship was mainly business and though they had a strong trust for each other, Legolas knew that their friendship would never equal that of him and Aragorn.  
  
That was as close to men Legolas got, and he was not exactly displeased that his interactions with them was limited. Yet again, that was due to the fact that Legolas assumed it was because of what he was. It confused him to see the easy exchanges between the elf queen and her human subjects.  
  
'Why should they not love the lady Arwen? She is of a beauty they have never seen with a gentleness to match. There is no fear instilled in them towards the lady. There is fear, however, when confronting a deadly assassin. No matter how heroic your deeds may seem, they can sense the truth lying within you. It is not hard to see the unrest and indifference to violence in your eyes. It is not their fault that they are cautious.'  
  
Legolas sat still as the poisonous thoughts filled his head. He could not deny the truth in the words. It was obvious that even though both he and Arwen were elves there was a vast difference between the two. It was only because the men were not stupid that they kept their distance.  
  
Legolas felt a sharp jab to his ribs and he pulled himself up straight in his chair, his focus shattering as his head jerked to the side to see what was wrong.  
  
Gimli sat still in his own seat next to Legolas, his eyes fixed and condemning upon the elf. "Were you never taught proper manners when at the table?" he whispered with a false ferocity. "It is not polite to stare into space while leaving your plate untouched. Very rude to be wasteful."  
  
Legolas let a smile crack his lips. He would hardly ever understand dwarves, but he was glad that Gimli was his friend. "I would never wish to be rude while I was a guest," Legolas whispered back. And to prove it, he deftly placed a forkful of food into his mouth.  
  
Gimli snorted and turned back to his own food, but Legolas could see the smile tugging at his own lips.  
  
Suddenly in a much lighter mood, Legolas kept the bulk of his attention on the food for the rest of the meal and made sure that he cleared his plate.  
  
When the meal was over, Legolas and Gimli hung back while most of the room emptied, including Arwen with a legion of faithful servants at her heels. After her exit, Aragorn turned to his two friends and beckoned them to come closer to him. Legolas and Gimli immediately surrounded Aragorn in a rough semi-circle and awaited what he had to say.  
  
"I was unable to make a trip out to the murder site," Aragorn began, "and I do not feel that I shall. By now many people have been in the area and I assume that their footprints would only ruin any chances of mine being able to seek out signs of what happened. I have however issued a formal warning to the people and that they should not go out at night. I still pray that this was only a one time incident, but I cannot be sure of that. So I ask that you two remain on your guard and watch for suspicious happenings." Aragorn paused for a moment and eyed Legolas. "I do not want to create a panic over having all the guards placed on watch, especially since I trust you two more anyway. If you see anything at all, do not hesitate to use your judgement and take action."  
  
Both the dwarf and the elf nodded when Aragorn was done speaking. It was not unusual for them to be put on the watch instead of some of the guards or warriors of Gondor, Aragorn would use them first and then take their advice on whether more security was necessary. So far, more security had never been necessary.  
  
"I would like you both to do a light patrol tonight if you will," Aragorn added.  
  
"Of course," Gimli stated immediately, "my axe has been idle for too long anyway."  
  
Legolas only nodded his reply, not trusting himself to speak. He had a sinking feeling inside and he refused to let his thoughts through to explain it, knowing all too well it would only be more of the condemning self-talk that he had become so accustomed to. He would merely do what Aragorn asked him to do, that was all.  
  
"I will be in my quarters all evening," Aragorn told them, "if anything comes up that you feel needs immediate attention, do not hesitate to come to me." Aragorn paused and a wistful smile came to his lips. "What I would give to be able to accompany you two once again. Unfortunately I feel it would cause more trouble than it is worth as it seems I am unable to venture anywhere these days without a small contingent at my back."  
  
Legolas and Gimli grinned in their false sympathy. They knew it drove the old ranger mad to not be able to go where he wished on his own. They often even made fun of him for it, asking where his sitters to watch over him were on the few occasions he was able to be alone with them.  
  
Aragorn passed a small grin as well, knowing full well what they were thinking, and gesturing with his hand led the way out of the dining hall. He went with the elf and the dwarf as far as the outside door, but when two guards materialized at his side from standing watch by the door, Aragorn bid his friends good-bye. With a rueful wave, the king turned back to be escorted down the halls to his living quarters.  
  
"I will not be able to say that I envy him," Gimli muttered when the king was out of sight.  
  
"Nor will I," Legolas agreed.  
  
Gimli turned to face his taller friend, "Well, where shall we start our look-out?"  
  
Legolas grinned. "As much as I am sure that you would love to begin your duties in the inn in order to question your beloved drink serving friend, I think that would not be the best place to fulfill our task."  
  
Gimli grunted. "I assure you master elf that I am all about business tonight, no time for fun and ale when lives are at stake."  
  
"Wisely admitted," Legolas replied, trying to assume a serious expression and failing.  
  
"Perhaps we would be most effective if we split up," Gimli sighed in defeat.  
  
Legolas sobered. "We would be able to cover more ground that way. I will patrol the edges of the woods, you can survey the town and the happenings here."  
  
Gimli nodded, "Fair enough."  
  
Legolas turned to begin to walk out to the tips of the trees but paused when the dwarf called out to him. "Yes?" Legolas asked with his head turned over his shoulder.  
  
Gimli stood silent for a moment as if choosing his words carefully. "Do not hesitate to seek my help if you need it," Gimli finally said haltingly.  
  
"Of course," Legolas replied and turned his head to continue on his path.  
  
Gimli sighed as he watched his friend go. He had an uneasy feeling about all of this and he knew how much of the elvish pride his friend had. He would not be asking for help even if it meant his life. "Happy hunting," Gimli muttered after his friend before turning to start his own rounds.  
  
Legolas passed out of the city and was within reach of the trees in no time. He walked along the tips of the trees, his senses tuned into the slight song of the wood. They would let him know if anything was happening within their boundaries.  
  
Soon, with only his own thoughts to keep him company as he walked along the trees in the somber twilight, his momentary light-heartedness faded and he fell unwillingly back into the melancholy that was plaguing him. As much as he tried to keep it at bay, he could not help his idle thoughts breaking through.  
  
'Of course Aragorn lets the killer have the first watch. The hunt is the only way to occupy your time.'  
  
Legolas shook his head. He had had enough of thinking like that. He would not allow himself to do it any longer. In defiance and desperation to occupy his mind, Legolas started to sing softly as he walked. He sang an ancient song he had not heard since his childhood, one with many verses. It would keep his mind busy for some time.  
  
By the time he had completed the whole of the song, it was well into night and the moon had risen high over his head. There was little light save from the moon and the stars, but Legolas could see clearly anyway. Enough to see somebody approaching from a distance and from the direction of Gondor.  
  
Legolas stopped. His singing had occupied him so that he had almost forgotten his purpose for being out here. He knew that he was nearing the trails that would take one to Ithilien and that was the main reason people came out this way, but hardly ever at night and alone. Legolas melted into the trees so that he could observe without being seen and find out why a lone person was coming his way.  
  
A small thought that this could perhaps be the rogue elf entered his mind, but Legolas pushed it away when it became clear from the manner in the walk that the individual was human. Besides, Legolas thought to himself, there is no rogue elf.  
  
When the person was about thirty yards from him, Legolas could make out that it was definitely a human and a female at that. Legolas' confusion escalated. Aragorn had said that he had issued a warning, so why would a lone female be out in the middle of the night?  
  
The woman came straight to the trees before pausing at them. She seemed to be doubtful about her course and only after a deep breath did she take one step into the trees. Legolas decided to do something.  
  
"What are you doing out alone at nightfall?" Legolas asked as he stepped out of the shadows.  
  
Even though he spoke softly and with no signs of a threat in his voice, the woman whirled around to face him as though she had been startled by a large noise behind her. Her breath caught in her throat and Legolas could see her eyes go wide.  
  
"Who are you?" she gasped, her voice hinting the edge of hysteria.  
  
Legolas held up his hands in an effort to calm her. "Peace, I am Legolas and was sent to keep watch tonight."  
  
Some of the woman's panic melted and her muscles unlocked from the tight hold she had been unconsciously in. She studied Legolas, but he doubted that she could make out much in the dim lighting.  
  
"Where have I heard that name before?" she said absently.  
  
"Perhaps from tales of the Fellowship," Legolas suggested. He could tell that that was exactly where she recognized him from the way her eyes widened again.  
  
Legolas held himself still, waiting for her to show signs of fear mixed with awe and for her to try to step away from him as so many others did, but her reaction surprised him. She stepped towards him and latched onto his arm in excitement and desperation.  
  
"Oh thank the Valar. Can you help me? My brother went to deliver a message to Ithilien over a month's time ago. He promised to be back within three weeks and with the recent murder I have been torn with worry."  
  
Legolas removed her hand from his arm and covered it with his own. "Have you reported this to anyone else?"  
  
The woman shook her head dismally. "They always say that his journey merely took longer than he anticipated. They never dispatch help right away and even my own family claims that he is probably well, but I cannot sleep and the murder only makes me more anxious."  
  
Legolas nodded, "I understand. I will travel with you a little of the way to Ithilien, but we shall not go all the way. If there is no sign of him, I will report this to King Elessar in the morning and see that he sends out runners to seek for your brother."  
  
The woman nodded even though she looked slightly disappointed. Legolas guessed it was due to the fact that she wanted her brother found right away and did not necessarily trust that people would be sent out tomorrow to look for him.  
  
Legolas squeezed the woman's hand. "I give you my word that all will be done to find him," he promised.  
  
The woman nodded again, this time more forcefully and followed silently as Legolas let go of her hand and turned to lead the way into the dark trees. He picked the most traveled path to Ithilien and started that way. Dimly, Legolas thought of Gimli and the fact that he was momentarily abandoning his post of watching the borders.  
  
They had not even traveled for more than twenty minutes when Legolas stopped, his arm held out to stop the woman as well. She paused and gripped Legolas' arm again, her uneasiness mounting when she noted the still posture the elf was in.  
  
"What is it?" she whispered, a note of panic in her voice.  
  
Legolas did not reply, only strained his senses as far as they would go. He heard a disturbance in the hum of the trees, as if they were agitated by a presence in the wood, the way they would be if a large predator had entered.  
  
A warg? Legolas questioned the possibility of such an animal being around. There were hardly ever reports of wargs being so close to Gondor, especially since the War of the Ring, but it was not entirely unheard of.  
  
But that did not seem right and Legolas noted that something inside of him was telling him to get out of there and back to the relative safety of the city. Legolas wanted to comply to that feeling.  
  
'Since when does a warrior run from a fight?' the condemning thoughts were back.  
  
'When there is an innocent to protect,' Legolas thought back forcefully. He could not risk exposing the woman to a danger that he was unsure of.  
  
Shutting off his mind to anymore inner battles, Legolas deftly readied his bow with an arrow and started to move backwards. The woman noticed the weapon drawn and clung even tighter to the elf's arm, even if it would prove to hinder his movements if they were indeed attacked.  
  
"What is it?" she whispered again.  
  
"I know not," Legolas finally answered her. "But we need to get out of here." And with one last sweep of the dark trees before him with his eyes, Legolas turned and quickened his step, almost dragging the woman with him as she tried to keep up with his pace without letting go of his arm.  
  
"But my brother," she gasped.  
  
"If you wish to live to see your brother you will leave now," Legolas answered harshly. The woman said no more and only concentrated on keeping up with the elf's long stride.  
  
When they were almost halfway back to the edges of the trees Legolas stopped again. He still could not see or hear anything, but his inner intuition was screaming at him to turn and defend himself.  
  
Legolas turned, wrenching his arm free of the woman as he simultaneously fired an arrow into the darkness behind him. He did not even see where his arrow went.  
  
He was distracted even as he turned by a sudden scream from the woman and then a lick of pain at his side. Legolas turned his head to see the hilt of a knife protruding from his side and the woman next to him staring transfixed in horror at it.  
  
Legolas was suddenly thrown off by a very disoriented feeling, akin to when he had been unsure of whether he was recollecting his thoughts or back in the present, only much more intense. His senses were still screaming at him to face front, the back from where he had just been standing, but the real attack was coming from the side the woman stood on. Legolas closed his eyes and waited for the torn feeling to pass. 


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: Hello again everybody! See, look, it's a timely update, the world is a better place. As always, I love you all for the reviews and please do not hesitate to do so, it is easier to write a story when you know there's an audience out there to do it for. Anyways, no I'm not Tolkien or affiliated in anyway to his family lineage, therefore I have no rights to be writing this story but only do it because I could be doing something constructive (like calculus homework) and we all don't want that to happen. So here's the next part and I hope you enjoy!  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Legolas opened his eyes.  
  
Bright sunlight stabbed at his vulnerable gaze, making him immediately squint.  
  
Legolas slowly sat up.  
  
He was lying on the bed inside of his room in the Halls of the Kings. He had obviously come back from last night's excursions, only he found that he could not recall anything from the night before.  
  
Feeling as though he was missing something important and confused by the fact that he had slept so late, it was at least an hour since the sun had risen, Legolas pulled his legs out from underneath the simple sheet and swung them over the side of the bed.  
  
Legolas stopped again.  
  
He was still dressed in his hunting tunic and leggings.  
  
Odd, he normally changed into separate clothes in which to sleep in. Or at least took off his tunic. But he was still fully clothed, soft boots and all.  
  
Legolas glanced down at the bed he had been lying in.  
  
Dirt streaked the sheets along with something else. Legolas leaned closer to the bed and studied darker stains that laced through the white sheets. It almost looked like blood.  
  
Now alarmed, Legolas abruptly stood up off of the bed, and winced as a sharp pain shot up his side.  
  
Legolas hunched over and then stood still, trying to catch his breath from the sudden shock of pain. Legolas glanced down at his side, only to find a fresh wound meeting his eyes. Carefully, Legolas reached over to his side and softly placed a hand over the injured flesh. He could clearly feel the abrasion along with another small twinge of pain. He was definitely not seeing things.  
  
Legolas slowly straightened and looked about his room, searching for clues that would tell him what had happened last night. Vaguely, he remembered Aragorn asking him and Gimli to do a light patrol and search for anything that may look suspicious. They had readily complied, and Legolas had offered to search the borders of the trees.  
  
After that, he could not remember more.  
  
Legolas' sharp eyes fell on a small object across the room, laying just within the door. It was a knife.  
  
Quickly, the elf crossed the room and knelt on the ground near the knife. He first studied it without touching it. The knife was covered in blood, and Legolas had to wonder if it was his own.  
  
A thought struck him.  
  
Or maybe it was somebody else's blood.  
  
Legolas snatched the knife up. He had an overwhelming desire to not have anybody see the knife. Since he himself was unable to explain it, he did not want to risk others coming up with their own explanations.  
  
After a small amount of thought Legolas stood and walked to the small bureau that rested on the wall next to the bed. He pulled open the bottom drawer and placed the knife inside of it. He was not sure what he was trying to accomplish with putting it there, certainly it was not the best hiding place, but Legolas assured himself it was only until he could come up with a rational explanation, it was not meant to be a hiding place.  
  
After putting the knife away for later, Legolas caught a glance of himself in the small looking glass that hung over the bureau. He was a mess.  
  
Deciding that he could not let anybody see him looking like this either, he picked up the washcloth that was laid next to a pitcher of water and a bowl. He poured water into the bowl and then dipped the cloth into it. Carefully, he began to wipe away the evidence of dirt and mud from his face and neck. When he was done with that he applied the cloth to his wound. It had long since closed, but had left a large amount of dried blood around it. Legolas cautiously wiped the blood away, not wanting to risk re-opening the wound. After that, he smoothed his hair back as best he could, not wanting to deal with the hassle of having to re-braid it at the moment.  
  
When he was almost back to looking normal, save for his torn and dirty clothing that he would have to change, Legolas glanced back at the bed. He would have to do something about that as well. He could not leave it in such a state and risk having one of the cleaning ladies gossip about the mysterious stains found on the elf's bed.  
  
Just as Legolas moved to strip the bed of its sheets, there was a loud knock on the door.  
  
Legolas jerked his head up and knew within a fraction of a second who was at the door and that he never waited for a response.  
  
Legolas bolted for the door and reached it just as an eager dwarf shoved it part-way open. Legolas grabbed onto the side of the door and the frame and stood in front of Gimli, preventing him from opening the door any further.  
  
Gimli blinked at the sudden appearance of his friend, he could have sworn he had not been on the other side when he had started to open it, but quickly shrugged the thought away.  
  
"So I see that you are awake. I am beginning to think that all of our adventures are finally starting to wear on you. It is not often that a dwarf will be up before an elf."  
  
Legolas searched for something to say, an unfamiliar feeling of anxiety coursing through him, as Gimli eyed him up and down.  
  
"Or maybe you did not have much rest at all. It looks as though you were in those trees the whole of the night," Gimli commented, his gaze resting on Legolas' wounded side.  
  
Legolas snorted, hoping that Gimli could see little more than the torn fabric. "It takes more than one night to tire me so. If you must know I have merely not gone to sleep at all." Legolas kept himself firmly planted in the doorway, hoping that Gimli could not see the messy bed behind him.  
  
Gimli looked up at the elf's face. His eyes seemed different again, not as haunted as they had been lately but certainly not how they used to be. No, there was some new kind of inner problem plaguing the elf, and if he did not know any better he could have sworn it was almost panic.  
  
"Well since you have not rested you must surely be hungry at least. I have come to see if you wish to visit the dining hall again, the morning meal is well underway."  
  
Legolas sighed inwardly in relief. Of course, the main focus of the dwarf in the morning was breakfast, he had not come to search in Legolas' room or discover what he had found from the night before.  
  
Legolas nodded quickly. "I will indeed come with you to the dining hall, but you must give me leave for a few moments to at least change my clothing." Legolas let out a small laugh and gestured to the hole in the side of his tunic, "It seems my abilities of navigating between trees at night were put to the test."  
  
Gimli laughed as well, "And they lost no doubt. I will wait for you outside of your door, so do not take too long. The stomach of a dwarf is not to be ignored."  
  
Legolas nodded solemnly. "I would never dream of doing such a thing."  
  
Gimli smiled, "Aye, it could prove dangerous."  
  
"Excuse me sir dwarf and I will see that I do not prolong your hunger for too long," Legolas declared as he started to close the door. Gimli backed away so that he could close it and Legolas let out a small breath when the door was closed again. He definitely did not like feeling anxious, it was an emotion seldom felt throughout the whole of his long years.  
  
Working rapidly, Legolas crossed back over to the bed and immediately stripped it of the top sheet. Without much thought he shoved it into the bottom drawer of the bureau on top of the knife. He left the rest of the bedding on, it was clean. After the bed was taken care of, he crossed to a small closet and opened the doors. There was always a change of clothing kept there for him and he was not disappointed when he looked inside. Quickly, Legolas changed his clothing and piled the dirty clothes on the bottom of the closet door. He was not as worried as those being found, it was not an unusual thing for his clothing to be in need of washing.  
  
Taking one last glance in the looking-glass and assuring himself that he looked normal he went back to the door and opened it to step out into the hall. Less than five minutes had passed and he was pleased with himself for working so rapidly and efficiently.  
  
One look at the dwarf leaning against the wall next to his door told Legolas that he was not so pleased with the delay.  
  
"Surely I did not keep you for too long?" Legolas asked in mock empathy.  
  
Gimli grunted. "I often forget how long it can take an elf to look like his normal pristine self."  
  
Legolas glowered down at the dwarf. "It cannot be helped that you are of a culture that does not understand the importance of a presentable appearance. First impressions are often lasting."  
  
Gimli tried to hide a grin and failed. "All the more reason for me to look as I do," he jested, "I would not want to be mistaken for a more fragile being."  
  
Legolas raised his eyes. "By the Valar you dwarves are hopeless. May Elbereth watch after you with special attention, for it is clear that you are beyond any self-help."  
  
Gimli let out a laugh as much as he tried to keep it in and turned to start down the hall towards the dining hall. The two kept up their light banter as they walked and Legolas almost forgot all about the strange occurrences of that morning. Until they entered the dining hall.  
  
Both the dwarf and the elf walked in laughing, but they sobered immediately when they noticed that many people were gathered within the room and all spoke in hushed and serious tones.  
  
Gimli immediately sought out Aragorn near the front of the room and started towards him. Legolas followed silently, the anxiety back and dwelling in his stomach.  
  
Aragorn looked up as his two friends approached. "What is going on?" Gimli asked as soon as he was within range.  
  
Aragorn broke away from the small group he had been conversing with and moved towards the elf and the dwarf. "I am glad you are here," he started, "tell me, did either one of you see anything last night?"  
  
Gimli shook his head. "I saw nothing out of the ordinary, certainly nothing to be alarmed about."  
  
Aragorn looked at Legolas. "And you? What did you see?"  
  
The anxiety in Legolas rose to a fever pitch and he strove to appear to remain calm. He had sudden flashes of the bloodied knife and bed and took a tiny breath to clear his thoughts.  
  
"Nothing strange that I can recall," Legolas commented, telling himself that it was the truth at least and he was not lying to one of his friends.  
  
Aragorn stared at him a moment longer before nodding once. Turning his head slightly so that he could include Gimli he said, "Unfortunately, there was another murder last night. A group of men found the victim very early this morning and had already brought her in before I even knew of it."  
  
A small spark flared in Legolas' mind when he heard Aragorn say 'she'. He did not know what caused the reaction and carefully kept his face calm, not wanting to reveal anything even as a pit of dread grew to accompany the anxiety he was feeling.  
  
"I have not gone to see the body myself yet," Aragorn was continuing and Legolas had to strain to focus on what he was saying, "but those who brought her in say that she bears almost the same marks as before. If you wish, I would like you two to accompany me to view the body."  
  
Gimli nodded readily and Legolas told himself to follow suit. Aragorn looked at the both of them.  
  
"Good. I fear that we are not dealing with a coincidence and that it is most likely the same killer. We might be in for a man-hunt," Aragorn said grimly.  
  
Silently, Legolas and Gimli turned to follow the king of Gondor out of the Halls of the Kings and to the Houses of Healing where the body had been laid just as before. And just as before, a crowd had already gathered upon hearing the news. But the atmosphere was different. This was the second murder, there was a killer loose and within their ranks. Fear and a want for vengeance was clearly written in their expressions.  
  
Legolas saw all of this in a glance as he followed. And again he noticed himself being singled out by individuals in the crowd, only more so than before.  
  
'Is this how the rest of my days will be? An object of suspicion and fear?'  
  
'Not if they catch you, then you will be an object of hate and revenge.'  
  
Legolas' step became slightly heavier at the thoughts. He suddenly felt very tired.  
  
The trio had reached the Houses of Healing and they filed in, making their way to the same room they had visited only yesterday. Now two bodies lay upon cold slabs of stone. Legolas' gaze was drawn to the newest edition, and though a sheet lay over the body, he suddenly knew what the victim would look like. A young woman, with brown hair and wide eyes that easily showed any emotion she was feeling, especially worry and fear.  
  
The sheet was pulled away by one of the attendees standing next to the slab, waiting for the king. As the body was revealed, Legolas found that the victim indeed matched the mental picture he had been conjuring. And as the sheet fell away, he suddenly had memories of the night before fall into place.  
  
The woman had been by herself and Legolas had gone to her, wanting to help her find her lost brother.  
  
And something bad had happened.  
  
But that part was still veiled in Legolas' mind and he grit his teeth, wanting to cry out his frustration at his mind blocks. Nothing like this had ever happened in his life and he had to wonder why his mind chose to do so now.  
  
Aragorn and Gimli were quietly studying the body, taking no notice of the small internal struggle of their friend. Aragorn methodically surveyed and went through all of the wounds on the body. As on the other one, the throat was laid open as well as the left shoulder, but that was where the similarities ended. It looked as though a blow had caught her on her temple, leaving a thin line of dried blood. A large bruise covered her stomach and the back of one knee had been slashed. Aragorn guessed at why her wounds did not match the other victims, and it was for the simple reason that she had not been able to fight back. There was no need to slash open a weapons hand or cut areas that would hinder speed and ability when the victim was all but helpless. The only wound that proved that she had at least tried to run away was the one on the back of her knee. That had been cut so that she could not run.  
  
As before, all of the wounds were neat and precise with no jagged edges or misplaced blows. And as before, Aragorn knew that they were target areas when being trained how to fight and that they had to be done with great speed to be so neat and efficient.  
  
Aragorn straightened wearily when he was done with his brief examination. He looked at the head of the guard that was there, waiting expectantly for news of what was to be done. "Issue another warning and then alert the guards. Tell them to increase their security, especially at nightfall. We will not have another murder." The man nodded and then turned to exit the room, his stride purposeful as he went to do the king's bidding.  
  
"As for the rest of us," Aragorn said turning to face Gimli and Legolas, "we will focus on catching the killer and bringing him to justice. He will not kill again."  
  
Gimli nodded, but Legolas only stared a moment longer at the body. When he was aware of Aragorn's focus he shifted his eyes and nodded as well. But when Aragorn turned away again Legolas' eyes went back to the victim. He noticed that a belt hung on the woman's waist, one with a sheath designed to hold a knife or dagger. And it was empty. 


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: Okay, finally, the new chapter. I apologize for the delay, but writers-block coupled with impending finals tend to dampen the writing schedule. Ah well, tis the way life goes I guess. So yeah, new chapter, I love you all for the wonderful reviews, and I'm not Tolkien.  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Legolas once again found himself alone as he wandered about the courtyards of Gondor. There had been much activity today, as was to be expected when a multiple murder had happened, and the whole of the town was riled up, wanting to go to any lengths to prevent anymore deaths.  
  
Aragorn had formally announced the new death and warnings to the townspeople to be inside by nightfall and to not travel alone. The guards had been given their orders to stand watch where they would be put into shifts when night finally came.  
  
Aragorn had also asked his two best friends to be on watch again, and of course Legolas and Gimli had readily agreed. They would do all they could to stop anymore deaths.  
  
Legolas sighed as he paused to momentarily rest next to a growing sapling, one that he himself had planted here three years ago when the War of the Ring was over. Even though he was in one of the main courtyards, it was empty of any occupants save himself, and he had a morbid feeling of satisfaction at that. When a town came together over lives being threatened, it was not long before vigilantes came forth, wishing to be the hero, and too many eyes had stared at Legolas as he had stood next to Aragorn when he made his proclamations. The elf knew what they were thinking, only because he felt the same way.  
  
Taking another deep breath Legolas took a stony step forward and continued on his small walk. Aragorn had confined his patrolling to inside the borders of Gondor, away from the trees. Legolas did not want to think that Aragorn perhaps suspected him, but it did seem suspicious that he place Legolas far away from where the murders had been occurring.  
  
But who else would choose to take to the trees to kill besides a wood elf? The coincidences were too many and stacked against Legolas.  
  
Ah, but he could not forget the knife either. If that was not a solid piece of evidence, then what was? The woman had been wearing a sheath at her side, perhaps she had tried to defend herself against an attacking elf.  
  
No, Legolas shook his head, he knew he would never do anything like that. As hazy as last night's events were, he knew that he had been trying to help the woman. Besides, he would never attack those who could not defend themselves against him, especially when unprovoked. Legolas still knew enough of himself to know that he would not do that, no elf would do that.  
  
Then how were the deaths to be explained?  
  
Legolas himself had to admit that they seemed as though an elf had to do it, but Legolas could not bring himself to entirely believe this. The only elves around here were those in Ithilien, and those had been handpicked by Legolas himself to help out in the restoration.  
  
A wandering rogue elf was not a possibility entirely ruled out, Legolas told himself. But that too did not make much sense, there was no reason for an elf to commit senseless murders, it was not their style or means of living.  
  
Lost in his thoughts, Legolas did not notice the figure standing before him until he was almost upon him. Legolas braked immediately and raised his head, his eyes resting on a strange and unfriendly face before him.  
  
A man stood solidly in his path, his accusing eyes staring straight at the elf.  
  
Legolas stared straight back, wondering vaguely if this man wished for a fight. Perhaps the vigilantes were already rising. But a brief look into the grieved brown eyes revealed the person's identity to the elf, this was a relative of the recently deceased woman, perhaps another brother or maybe even a father.  
  
His suspicions were proven true when the man finally said something.  
  
"Did an elf kill my daughter?" he asked abruptly, his voice straining under the will to keep it from breaking.  
  
Legolas softened his gaze, feeling the man's pain, "I know not," he said softly.  
  
The man continued immediately, as if he had not even heard Legolas, "Because the only elf that has been here is you, and I hear that the first murder happened as soon as you showed up."  
  
Legolas regarded what the man had just said. He had not thought about it before, but it was true. The first murder had occurred the night he had come. Strange.  
  
"I am just as eager to find out what is going on as you are," Legolas commented quietly.  
  
His soft words were put to waste however. The man's eyes widened slightly, and Legolas could see his fist jerk back reflexively. Legolas wondered briefly if it was the man's grief that was driving him mad, but was distracted when the man's fist came at his face.  
  
Legolas ducked immediately and spun under the man as he stumbled forward, his momentum thrown off by the disappearance of his target. When Legolas straightened he was positioned behind the man and he grabbed one of the man's free arms, pulling it behind his back and forcing the man to stoop down, rendering him immobile.  
  
Tears were spilling down the man's face, "You people have no business here," he fairly yelled at the elf, "why can't you just leave and let good people alone? My daughter did nothing to you, she did not deserve to die like that."  
  
Legolas frowned at the tirade that poured forth from the man. He could clearly hear and even feel the grief and a need for vengeance coming from the father.  
  
"Nobody deserves to die like that," the man was still talking, his voice becoming softer as he was choked with his sorrow. "Especially my daughter, she did not deserve to die like that."  
  
Legolas listened to the babbling of the man. He knew the father was near an emotional breakdown and Legolas doubted he had even allowed himself proper time to grieve, he had come to seek out the elf as soon as he could.  
  
Legolas released the man's arm and stood back. The man immediately straightened and spun to face Legolas directly.  
  
Legolas stood complacently, his arms hanging loosely at his sides, his eyes fixed on the painfilled ones of the father. "If you truly feel that it was I who did it, then come, take your revenge."  
  
The man paused to consider what Legolas had told him. His chest was heaving, his face stained with small tracks from the onslaught of hot tears. He was a poor contrast next to the composed elf, but Legolas truly did feel for the man, so he stood still, allowing and waiting to see what the man would do.  
  
The father looked momentarily confused, and Legolas could see his anger fading somewhat. Clearly, this encounter was not going as he had envisioned it, he had expected to come in with fists raised and ready to go and for the elf to give him a fight.  
  
For the first time, Legolas noticed that the man carried a dagger at his side with a belt in the same fashion as his daughter's, but he did not draw it. He continued to fight to control his emotions while the elf before him merely stood as he was, holding his gaze calmly.  
  
After a few moments, the man sighed and his posture seemed to wilt as all of his anger that had been feeding his adrenaline collapsed. "Just leave this place," he said softly as he started to walk away, "take yourself and your people and go, we will all be the better for it." And then he said no more to the elf and Legolas watched the man walk away, moving as though he could not even see straight, which the elf doubted he could. For a small moment, Legolas wondered why grief did not prove to kill humans as well.  
  
When the man was no longer in sight, Legolas sighed and glanced up momentarily at the sky. It was a very bright day, without a cloud in the deep blue sky. Legolas frowned inwardly and lowered his eyes, such a bright day seemed out of place. Feeling as though his steps were heavier than what they had been before the brief encounter with the grieved father, Legolas continued on his own way, keeping true to the small area Aragorn had mapped out for him to patrol.  
  
Legolas pondered over the last words of the man. He had told Legolas to leave and to take his own people with him, that they would all then be the better for it. Perhaps that would be best. Legolas could leave now, and if the murders continued, he would at least know that he was not the one responsible for them and could come back to help where he could.  
  
And if the murders stopped?  
  
Hopefully another dreadful coincidence.  
  
But the more the elf thought about it, the more that it did not seem plausible. He would feel as though he was abandoning Aragorn in a time of need, and he never desired to abandon his friends. In addition to that, he would have to tell Aragorn that he was leaving and why. And Legolas could never give him a good enough reason without completely incriminating himself.  
  
No, the best thing to do at the moment would be to remain in Gondor and see what else would happen. Yet he could not stay if he thought that he himself was a danger to the people around him. He was not yet convinced that he was, but too many things had been happening all at once.  
  
Legolas stopped walking. A new resolve came to him. He would merely remain inside of his quarters when nightfall came. Even though Aragorn had asked for him to stay on patrol the whole of the night, he could plead tiredness and ask to retire early. Aragorn might not buy his pitiful excuse, he well knew the ways of the elves and that they did not tire easily and require prolonged rest, but Legolas had a feeling his friend would not question him.  
  
Legolas started to walk again. He took note of the position of the sun, it would be a few more hours before it was completely set. He would seek out Aragorn then.  
  
Feeling better now that he at least had some sort of plan to play out, the elf kept up his light watch and tracked the passage of the sun, merely biding his time. One way or another, he would put his own fears and suspicions to rest. 


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note: Just for the record, I officially hate Spanish. Only two more weeks of school, two more weeks, two more weeks, (notices readers peering at her oddly and stops) Sorry, but I'm sooooo ready for this semester to be over. Anyways, once the evil trials of school are over, I will be able to update a lot faster, so just bear with me for the moment. Be happy I was able to write this much when I should obviously be studying for spanish, (glares) be happy! Okay, enough with the psycho talk, I am not Tolkien and receive absolutely nothing for this (grumbles) so my only source of income is the reviews. And you don't want me to be completely spirit-broken, right? Right? Meh, whatever, new chapter, hope you enjoy, and if so moved, review.  
  
Chapter 9  
  
A week's time later found Gimli pacing restlessly in front of the stone gates of Gondor, courtesy of his own handiwork of course. That was mainly why the dwarf suspected Aragorn had placed him out here, to be next to his own beloved stone and craftsmanship, a fact that Gimli was not entirely ungrateful for. His only problem as of the moment was his extreme boredom.  
  
A whole week had passed since the last murder of the unfortunate young woman, and nothing else had happened. The townspeople were optimistic of course, or perhaps merely quick to forget matters that did not directly relate to them, either way there was hardly any talk of the possibility of a murderer and when he would strike again. The town had all but forgotten the horror it had been so recently subjected to. The guard was also waxing lenient in their duties, they assumed that the murderer had been a rogue, elf or otherwise, and that he had moved on. Gondor was not a place one would want to bother, they boasted to each other.  
  
But where the others waned in their duties and abandoned their posts early for ale served at the inn, the dwarf dutifully kept to his own position. He had promised Aragorn that he would help all he could, and he would do just that.  
  
So Gimli sighed and kept his axe hoisted over his shoulder, ever at the ready should he need it, and walked around the small path he had created himself from his tireless pacing around his designated post. Any person placed at the main entrance of a province was important of course, even though Gimli could not help but wonder over why he was not closer to the trees, the area where the murders had occurred. Surely he would be of more use there.  
  
Yet Legolas was not posted there either, Gimli reminded himself, it was not as if Aragorn was trying to shield Gimli from harm. For if Aragorn thought the dwarf needed protection, Gimli would laugh himself senseless before rushing off headfirst on his own to find his own dangers. Gimli knew that the old ranger knew this, and that Legolas too would not react so kindly to such thoughtfulness, so that was not the reason for keeping his two friends away from the trees.  
  
The thought of Legolas drew Gimli's attention away from his recent stipulations. He glanced up at the dark sky, lit only by the moon and stars, and knew that the elf was within his own chambers. For strange reasons, Legolas insisted that he not be posted after dark and that he be given the night's time to rest.  
  
Gimli remembered all too well walking in on the conversation between Aragorn and the elf over his odd request a week ago. He had been seeking out Legolas of course, hungry as always and wishing to have his friend accompany him to the dining hall. Sources had reported seeing the elf ask leave of the king and speak with him inside of the room he used for important conferences.  
  
Gimli had not bothered to knock and had walked right in, overhearing Legolas explaining to Aragorn why he needed to be able to have nights off. Gimli caught the words, 'rest' and 'suffering from many trials' before the elf broke off and looked over to see Gimli standing in the doorway. He did not look all that surprised to see Gimli, but neither did he look too happy about it. After a brief glance, he looked back to Aragorn who himself looked extremely puzzled.  
  
Gimli understood Aragorn's confusion even over the brief words he had heard. He thought he would never hear Legolas say 'tired'. Tired and the elf simply did not go together, and Aragorn thought the same way as the dwarf.  
  
"If that is what you wish," Aragorn finally replied, "I hold you to no obligations of course. I merely ask your and Gimli's help because I feel you two are more valuable than most of the guard. You are free to take whatever positions you wish and also reject what you wish."  
  
Legolas had nodded when Aragorn was done speaking and turned to leave, talking no more to the mortal king. He paused before Gimli, and once again the dwarf felt an odd sensation run down his back under the elf's gaze. He felt as though Legolas was not even truly seeing him.  
  
"Wish to eat?" Gimli said after some hesitation.  
  
Legolas moved his head slightly, and Gimli thought he saw his eyes focus a bit more and felt that the elf was truly seeing him for the first time since he had walked in. A breath passed before Legolas smiled automatically at Gimli.  
  
"Of course," he replied and waited for Gimli to move aside and lead the way as usual. Gimli stared at his friend a moment longer, trying unsuccessfully to quell the uneasiness coursing through him. He felt as though he was in the presence of a stranger, and not that of his best friend.  
  
Momentarily looking past the elf, Gimli regarded Aragorn. "I will see you in the dining hall?"  
  
Aragorn lifted a hand in acknowledgement, but said nothing. He too was focused on the elf, his brows furrowed.  
  
With a sudden desire to leave this room and its air of mystery, Gimli hastily turned and started off down the hall, knowing that the elf was following him even if he could not hear his light footsteps.  
  
Gimli shook his head. He had not liked the feeling of the encounter at the time and he did not like remembering it now. Since then, he had barely seen or talked to Legolas. All he knew was that he dutifully held up his appointed post during the day but disappeared almost as soon as darkness began to fall. And he had not once been out in the woods, a place that Gimli used to often find his friend when seeking him out.  
  
Gimli sighed and picked up his pacing again. Too many strange thing to think about lately, he would worry about it all some other time. Right now, his main worry was getting off of his watch before the inn closed so he could have an ale before retiring to his chambers.  
  
Legolas paced as well inside of his darkened room. He did not bother with lighting the small lantern on the bedside table, he could see just fine. But his worries were of an entirely different kind than Gimli's.  
  
As with the rest of the town, Legolas was well aware that there had not been anymore murders in over a week. Yet unlike the rest of the town, the good news did little to ease his spirits. The fact that the murders ceased when he confined himself was not comforting to the elf in the least.  
  
Legolas still did not want to believe it, he could hardly think that he had been the one to do it. But since retiring to his room early every night, he had not had anymore of the mysterious black-outs and, of course, there had been no more murders. Legolas kept coming back to that little fact.  
  
Halting his movement around the enclosed space, Legolas lowered himself onto the bed and sat on the edge of it, reaching down and pulling open the bottom drawer of the bureau next to the bed. As he had done for almost every night since finding it, Legolas pulled out the silver dagger. It's blade was dulled and stained with the dried blood that he had not bothered to clean off.  
  
As he did every night, Legolas raised it to his sensitive nostrils, straining to read if there was another scent on it belonging to somebody else. But, like every other night, he could only smell his own scent. Whether it was from him handling it so much or because of the fact that it was his blood that laced around the blade, he was not sure.  
  
But that had to be at least a little helpful, he did not detect the smell of human blood on the blade. He had not wounded the woman.  
  
'At least with this dagger,' his ever-helpful mind told him. 'When does a trained assassin ever use anything but his own weapons if they are at his disposal? ' On an impulse, Legolas drew out his own long knife. The blade was smooth and clean with nothing marring it's surface, but he knew that that fact did little to provide for any evidence. He had been taught since he was first allowed to wield a blade that a true warrior took care of his weapons and always kept them clean and in pristine condition. A dulled and ill cared for blade could mean the difference between life and death in a fight. Even if he did not remember it, Legolas was sure that he would still automatically clean his own blade.  
  
Ah, but he was also sure that he would never kill an innocent.  
  
Resheathing his own knife and then placing the sullied dagger back into the bottom drawer and closing it, Legolas dropped his head into his hands.  
  
He did not know what to do.  
  
He could not figure this out on his own, everything he did seemed to backfire on him. Or everything he did simply meant that he was the killer.  
  
Legolas shook his head and straightened, looking around the dim room as if searching for inspiration.  
  
He wanted to speak with Aragorn, he had grown to trust the wisdom in the man and Legolas knew that he himself was in too much of a biased state to make up his own mind. Yet as much as he wished to confide in his old friend and seek council, he could not bring himself to do it. Aragorn would be appalled to hear such a thing from his friend, even if he too thought that Legolas would not have done it, it would trouble him just to hear of the elf's own torn mind.  
  
Legolas was supposed to be strong, indifferent to emotion, and always with a clear head. He could not incriminate himself so.  
  
And what about confiding in Gimli?  
  
Legolas almost snorted.  
  
It would break the dwarf's stout heart, and in doing so would break Legolas' own. Gimli would feel betrayed and shaken in the faith he had in his best friend. No, he could not tell Gimli either.  
  
Maybe he should go with what he had thought about before and merely leave Gondor. Aragorn would be suspicious, sure, and Gimli would probably be angered, but what else could he do? He was definitely no help here, barricading himself in his own room and afraid of his own self to go outside and interact with others. At this point, he was doing more harm than good and creating unnecessary worry from his friends.  
  
And he might be killing off a few of the locals.  
  
Legolas rose to his feet, wanting to keep the surge of panic at bay. He started to move around the room again, as long as he kept his thoughts occupied, he would not lapse into the self-condemnation and the unsure feelings. If he kept himself moving, all would be well.  
  
A few seconds passed before the panic melted away, only to be slowly replaced by anger.  
  
Legolas came to a sudden realization.  
  
He hated this.  
  
He hated having to be confined and kept away from the woods. He hated not being sure of himself, he hated not being instilled with his usual confidence and worrying over his own thoughts betraying him. Where was the trained warrior now? Where was the cold and calculating elf who was always left untouched in battle, at least emotionally if not physically? At this rate, he would begin to grow suspicious of his own shadow.  
  
Feeling a surge of defiance, at himself more than anything, Legolas stepped to the window. He raised the pane of thick glass with a single palm, feeling the strength surge through his arm at the simple act. He could have simply punched through the window if he so chose to, barely feeling the glass shards slice into his knuckles and forearm. It was an act of mercy that he restrained himself and opened it properly.  
  
Patting his long elven knife to make sure that it was held securely at his hip, Legolas glanced once at his bow and quiver resting on the opposite wall, decided he did not need them, and leapt gracefully onto the windowsill.  
  
Taking a deep breath of the night's fresh air, Legolas peered keenly out of the window for a few moments, making sure that nobody was within his sight. Satisfied that there was nobody out to bother him, Legolas jumped cleanly from the window and landed on the soft grass below without making a noise. Holding still for a few moments to enjoy the feel of the slight breeze blow through his golden tresses, Legolas started off towards the trees. He would go for a run through them tonight, and hold no worries over mysterious deaths and mental instabilities. 


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note: Ah yes, another chapter, this time posted within a fair amount of time. Finals have not killed me yet, so you may get the rest of the story eventually. One important note, I have to apologize for my rant in the last chapter, I never do think things clearly. When I said that 'I hate Spanish' I was raving from the viewpoint that I am having difficulties in my Spanish class and had just done poorly on my oral exam, so to anybody that took that offensively I apologize immensely. (Esta bien Ana? Gracias un otra vez por me escribiendo y espero que te guste este capitulo!) And to anybody else who knows Spanish, I apologize if I created a horrific error in that small excerpt, gah I'm retarded when it comes to that language :) Okay, that's certainly long enough for an author's note, as always I love you guys so much for your reviews and I am not even on the same brilliance scale as Tolkien despite what my mother says, so I own nothing.  
  
Chapter 10  
  
Legolas did not return to the Halls of Kings until the sun was starting to rise. He had spent the entire night out in the woods, leaping from tree to tree, running through the expanse of them, and loving every minute of it. It had been a while since he had felt thus, and all foreboding and self- incriminating thoughts had left him. He had not felt this way since having to report to Imladris that the prisoner Gollum had escaped, over four years ago. A time passage that would hardly make a dent in the elf's life, but four years spent feeling burdened made time drag out that much longer.  
  
Legolas walked confidently, his head held high and his step light. Making his way towards the window of his room so that he would not have to be bothered by entering through the main doors, he noticed a figure waiting for him inside of the room. Legolas did not even slow his stride, he knew that it would only be one person, and a few feet closer confirmed his suspicions.  
  
Gimli was sitting on the bed, waiting for the elf to return.  
  
Without making any noise, Legolas came up to the window, which was still open from before, and vaulted through. He landed gently, and the dwarf started and twisted in his seat to turn to see the elf that had not been there a moment before.  
  
Legolas grinned. "Had I been an orc you would have been slain by an arrow by now."  
  
Gimli did not look impressed. "Had you been an orc I would have heard you coming from a mile off. Only the elves are discourteous enough to sneak up on people."  
  
Legolas took a step further into the room. "On the contrary, it is only out of courtesy that we see to it that our friends' skills are ever honed and ready."  
  
"As much as I would love to continue this argument until you see the error of your ways," Gimli replied, "I have come to warn you."  
  
Legolas stopped and stood in front of the dwarf who had not yet risen from off the bed. He looked closer at his friend and realized that his demeanor was different, he did not hold the usual good-natured fire that he always reserved for the elf. He seemed tired, and almost listless.  
  
"What is it?" Legolas asked quietly in alarm.  
  
"I am sure that you can guess," Gimli replied in a tired voice.  
  
"Another murder," Legolas answered. It was not a question, merely a statement.  
  
"Aye," Gimli nodded, "only this time it does not bode well for you."  
  
Legolas frowned. For once he was not alarmed by the news of the murder. He knew exactly all that he had done last night and all that he had been to. There had been no mysterious blackouts, no odd confrontations. He had run free and had not even encountered another person during the entire night. He held absolutely no suspicions for himself, and was vaguely surprised to hear that he was under suspicion once again.  
  
Legolas continued to study his friend, waiting for him to continue. But the dwarf only sighed and dropped his gaze from the elf. He could not bring himself to tell him. Slowly, the dwarf's eyes drifted towards the small bureau standing next to the bed.  
  
Suddenly, Legolas understood. He too looked over at the bureau, at the bottom drawer, and noticed that it was slightly ajar. He had never left it open.  
  
"They found it," Legolas said in a flat voice.  
  
Gimli looked up sharply. "You knew of it?"  
  
"Yes," was the elf's simple reply. He knew that Gimli wanted him to explain something to him, to give an answer that would easily explain the bloodied dagger and sheets. But Legolas gave no such explanations.  
  
"They came straight to your room after news of the murder reached the guard. It happened in the middle of the night and they tried to save the man, the murderer was interrupted in the midst of his kill and he ran off. The man was brought to Aragorn, but the loss of blood was too much, even Aragorn could do naught to save him." Gimli paused and looked Legolas straight in the eye. "There was a witness this time," he continued quietly, "and though he said he did not see a lot before the killer ran off due to lack of light, he claims that the person was tall with fair hair."  
  
Legolas frowned again and looked like he was about to interject but Gimli kept on talking. "Then some of the guard came to your chambers. Aragorn and I did not know of it, we were busy trying to tend to the victim. They went through your room and found the dagger and came back to Aragorn with it." Gimli stopped again, "Everybody is looking for you."  
  
"Then I will go straight to Aragorn," Legolas said immediately, "I have nothing to hide and will not act like a shamed criminal."  
  
"But what of the knife?" Gimli asked desperately.  
  
Legolas paused and looked at his friend again. He could tell that Gimli had been in here for a while, trying to come up with some kind of reason as to why the bloodied knife was in Legolas' possession. And he was anxiously wondering why Legolas was providing him with none of the explanations he had come up with.  
  
Legolas took a breath. He knelt before Gimli so that they were on eye level with each other. Reaching out and gripping Gimli's shoulder, Legolas told him in a quiet voice, "I know not of it. I know not how it came to be here or what happened with it. But I do know that I was in the woods the whole of last night and that I did not even run across any persons the length of the night."  
  
Gimli grimaced. "The murder took place in the woods again," he commented.  
  
Legolas blinked. "Do you not believe me?" he asked softly.  
  
Gimli grunted. "Of course I believe you. Your word next to Aragorn's is the only one worth any value to me. But I have yet to hear an explanation from you that I can believe."  
  
"I know," Legolas said, "because truthfully I do not hold one myself." Making a sudden decision, Legolas released his hold of Gimli's shoulder and stood. "I will tell you all that I know tonight," he promised his friend, "all that you think that I have been keeping from you, I will tell you. But for now, I must go see Aragorn."  
  
Legolas turned to leave but was stopped by Gimli leaping from the bed and grabbing his hand. "I cannot let you go by yourself."  
  
Legolas looked back at Gimli. "Now why are you concerned that I cannot find my way to Aragorn?"  
  
"Because," Gimli swallowed thickly, "if you are seen unescorted there are orders for you to be captured on sight."  
  
Legolas blanched. He took his hand from Gimli. "That is ridiculous. And who issued such orders?"  
  
"The head of the guard," Gimli replied. "Aragorn has yet to know of it. He has been in the Houses of Healing all night and the guard do not wait to ask for his permission because they know how he feels of you. I would have told him myself but decided that I would be of better use waiting for you."  
  
"I will not be escorted like a killer," Legolas said through clenched teeth.  
  
"I know," Gimli stepped forward until he was even with Legolas. "But you will not object to a friend walking with you."  
  
Legolas was silent for a few moments, the information seemingly sinking into him. Gimli feared that his elvish pride would rear up and he would not allow Gimli to walk with him, he would not give into silly orders distributed by foolish men. But just when Gimli was sure that Legolas was about to either explode or storm out of the room, he let out a breath and his body relaxed slightly, his shoulders lowering and his muscles unlocking.  
  
"I would never object to walking with a friend," he said softly.  
  
Gimli let out a mental sigh of relief. It was an odd thing, Legolas was the prime suspect for a murder with the evidence weighing heavily against him this time, yet he felt as though he finally had his true friend back. Legolas was not acting as he had been for some time, and he was relieved to see that Legolas would rationalize the happenings that were occurring and not react defensively first as he had been doing. He had yet to receive a definite explanation from Legolas, but he knew he would soon, his friend had promised him.  
  
Walking out of the elf's chambers, Gimli and Legolas walked side by side down the hall and out into the bright courtyard that they had to cross in order to reach the Houses of Healing. Both Legolas and Gimli stopped when they opened the doors and saw what awaited them.  
  
Armed guards were positioned outside of the main doors and throughout the courtyard. Legolas quickly understood that they had surrounded the place waiting for his return. Silently, Legolas was glad that he had chosen to go to the back and through his own window, the guards had not thought that far ahead.  
  
There was a moment of silence when the doors opened, revealing both the dwarf and elf. But that moment was quickly over and the two nearest guards snapped into action, reaching simultaneously for their weapons and the elf.  
  
Legolas reacted instinctively by pulling away and going for his own long knife, but he and the men were stopped by a loud voice booming next to him.  
  
"Leave him be," Gimli shouted, "I am taking him to see King Elessar."  
  
The guards hesitated, looking unsure, but Gimli pushed forward, positioning himself protectively in front of the elf. "Stand down, I will see that he gets to where he is going."  
  
By this time most of the rest of the guard in the courtyard had gathered close to the steps leading up to the entrance where Gimli and Legolas stood, but they moved no closer. Silently, Gimli started to make his way down the steps, roughly shouldering those aside who he felt were too close. Legolas could only follow in the path made by the stout dwarf, his pride suffering with every step. But Legolas held his tongue and his head high, refusing to meet any of the accusing gazed of the men gathered. He was above them and their petty problems, if they could not catch their own killer and preoccupied themselves with concentrating on the wrong person, that was no concern of his.  
  
The dwarf and elf marched slowly through the unnaturally silent courtyard. Legolas vaguely noted that it was not just Gondorian soldiers at present but most of the townspeople, as there always was when news of a murder reached their ears.  
  
Morbid, Legolas thought to himself, they do not care to see the killer caught more than to see what is going on.  
  
Legolas took no more notice of them as he and Gimli reached the Houses of Healing and entered to speak with Aragorn. 


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Note: What's this? A fast update? And a long chapter? What in the name of Eru is going on?! Yeah well, for some reason I couldn't stop until this was all written, so I very much enjoyed writing this chapter. On a personal note, my last final is today, yea! Unfortunately, it is the dreaded calculus, boo! So if I survive, you will be receiving even more updates because school is over!! (lots of applause and cheers)  
  
Additional Note: I can't remember if it was the last chapter or before that, but somebody asked if this story had anything to do with a previous one. For the record, this is not exactly a sequel, but it is the same style and such as "Bound in Blood". I suppose it could be considered part of a series, but I haven't decided if I dare try to create a series or not. (Bows humbly to the series goddesses, Cassia and Sio.)  
  
Another Note: Last one, I swear. Just the usual I love you guys so much for your lovely reviews, they really keep me writing, and I am not affiliated in any way with the Tolkien enterprise (unless I can somehow manage to marry in, now there's a thought.) Okay, seriously enough with the rambling, on with the story, hope ya'll like it!  
  
Chapter 11  
  
They found Aragorn sitting quietly in the same room that had held the other two bodies, only now one lay within the stone room, the other two had since then been buried. The noble king of Gondor did not bother to look up when Legolas and Gimli entered and only remained in his seat where he was, his head held in his hands.  
  
Legolas and Gimli stood quietly. They knew that Aragorn was aware of their presence, they would not be the first to break the silence. They would let him speak when he was good and ready.  
  
Eventually, the old ranger heaved a great sigh and then raised his head to look at his friends. His eyes lighted directly upon Legolas. "You know what is going on?" he asked quietly.  
  
Legolas nodded, his eyes locked upon his old friend's. He did not say anything yet.  
  
"I thought we would have peace after the War of the Ring," Aragorn turned his head as he spoke, as if talking to himself, "I assumed the free peoples of Middle-earth would be tired of all the violence and welcome the rest and peace. Yet obviously that is not to be."  
  
Looking older than either Legolas or Gimli had ever seen, Aragorn stood stiffly out of his chair and motioned slightly to something behind the elf and dwarf. Silently, two guards entered the room flanking a third person in between them. Legolas did not bother to turn his head to watch them enter, he knew that he and Gimli had been followed. Legolas instead kept his eyes trained on Aragorn, waiting to see what his friend had to say.  
  
Aragorn sighed again when the three men stopped before him. Gimli made a small noise of surprise in his throat, but he too remained silent. Legolas glanced down at his dwarven friend at the sound and then back up to the men who had entered. For the first time he really looked at the man in the middle and recognized him as the old wounded friend of Gimli.  
  
Bergel stared around widely at his surroundings, looking confused and terrified all at once. Legolas wondered if perhaps the man even knew why he was there, or if he thought that he was in some sort of trouble. He wondered further himself as to why the man was here and why Aragorn had called him in.  
  
Aragorn looked again at Legolas, his face tightly under control from some sort of inner battle, Legolas could tell. A thread of unease entered the elf at the sight of his friend's expression. He knew that this encounter would not mean good fortune for himself.  
  
"Bergel," Aragorn redirected his attention to the slightly cowering man, his voice louder so that he could easily hear, "would you be so kind as to tell me and those who stand here what you saw last night?"  
  
Alarm rose within Legolas, and he looked down momentarily at Gimli, who returned the look with a blank stare of his own. Gimli did not know what was going on either, he had heard nothing about this.  
  
The stooped man shifted his gaze over to Legolas and then immediately back to Aragorn. Aragorn gave him a small nod, as if in encouragement. "Just tell me what you already told the guard," he said softly.  
  
Bergel took a deep breath that straightened his spine somewhat before letting it out and stooping again. His hands kneaded into each other nervously and he fidgeted.  
  
"I's was walking in the trees at night," he began slowly, his eyes staring down at the ground. "And I did hear something that sound to me like a body in trouble." Bergel stopped and glanced quickly up at Aragorn who gave another small nod. The man took another breath, "So's I went to where the sound was and I saw one man standing over another man. I yelled out to them and the one standing over the other jumped, he was surprised I was there. He almost tried to come at me, but then a soldier came, 'cause he heard me yell, and then the man ran away."  
  
"And what did the man look like?" Aragorn asked gently.  
  
Bergel shifted his eyes once again to Legolas and then immediately back down to the ground. "He look like Mister Gimli's elf friend."  
  
Gimli grunted and took a step forward but Aragorn held up his hand to stave him off. Gimli let out something akin to a growl and then stood still.  
  
Aragorn then directed his attention to the man standing on Bergel's left. "And you were the one who came at his call?"  
  
"Yes my lord," the soldier replied without hesitation, "I heard him yell and came straight from my post. I did not get as good a look at the perpetrator since he heard me coming and ran off, but I did see that the victim was still alive and I brought him here."  
  
Aragorn nodded, he already knew that part well.  
  
"And then I interrogated the witness," the other soldier spoke up, his voice rough and harsh. "And went straight to the elf's room when I heard of the description."  
  
Aragorn nodded again. "Yes," he said softly while absently picking up a knife that had been laying idle upon the table next to the body. Legolas saw that it was stained and knew that it was the dagger from his room.  
  
Slowly, Aragorn turned to face Legolas head on. "Legolas, do you hear and understand all that is being said?"  
  
Legolas heard Gimli grunt again. Legolas nodded, never taking his eyes from Aragorn's.  
  
Aragorn closed his eyes briefly before saying anything more. "Do you understand that you are the suspect of a murder based on circumstantial evidence and witness testimony?"  
  
Legolas nodded again, his blue eyes still fixed on the ranger's darker ones.  
  
"Do you have anything to say in your defense?" Aragorn asked softly, the tone in his voice pleading that Legolas would have a plausible explanation.  
  
"I did not kill this man," Legolas finally said, gesturing to the sheet-covered body. "But I know not where the dagger came from." He knew he had so much more to say to Aragorn, but felt that this was definitely not the best place to say any of it. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach that knew exactly where Aragorn was going with this questioning, it was the same type of questioning he used when placing a criminal under arrest.  
  
"Legolas Thranduilion," Aragorn said quietly and softly, "I am afraid that you are to be placed under arrest for suspicion of murder."  
  
Gimli exploded at the words.  
  
"Here now Aragorn," he stated stepping forward, "you know as well as I that Legolas had nothing to do with this."  
  
"I have to treat this the same as I would with any other offense," Aragorn said woodenly, not daring to look down at the enraged dwarf. His eyes were still locked with the elf standing silently across the room, his old friend that he had just condemned.  
  
For his part, Legolas said or did nothing. He tried valiantly to keep all looks of betrayal and pain out of his eyes. He knew that Aragorn was right, that he had to treat Legolas just as he would with any other person in order to satisfy the fears of the public and avoid a chaotic mutiny. But his own deep feelings of friendship refused to give in to logic.  
  
Dimly, Legolas was aware of more men entering the room behind him. He felt a hand place itself on his shoulder.  
  
Legolas automatically pulled away and turned slightly to meet the young soldier coming to escort the elf to the small building used as a prison. There were more guards waiting in the door, their weapons drawn. Obviously, they expected the elf to put up a resistance.  
  
"No," Aragorn called out as the guards advanced on his friend, "he does not need to be escorted."  
  
"We have orders that he is not to be let about without an escort," one of the men called out.  
  
"Overruled," Aragorn stated immediately, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "He is to be treated with the utmost care."  
  
"Does a murderer deserve such care?" Legolas asked quietly, the first words he had uttered in a long while. Aragorn started when he heard the low voice, his eyes widening slightly when he looked back at Legolas and saw the unbridled betrayal that the proud elf was trying so valiantly to hide.  
  
"No," Aragorn answered his question, "a murderer does not."  
  
"I will be his escort if these fools feel he needs one," Gimli spoke up, his hand restless upon the handle of his axe as he seemingly sized up the competition. The nearest guard backed away.  
  
"I will allow Gimli to walk with me," Legolas said, still speaking in a very low voice. "I would never object to a friend accompanying me."  
  
Aragorn could not be sure, but he felt that the elf slightly emphasized the word 'friend'. Aragorn sighed, he could not blame Legolas for any feelings he was experiencing right now, he could not imagine either him or Gimli, or any of the Fellowship for that matter, betraying him as he was doing to Legolas now.  
  
"I will see that he is locked away," the same burly guard that had accompanied Bergel and searched through Legolas' room spoke up.  
  
"No," Aragorn said again, "I will see to all of his needs."  
  
Legolas said nothing.  
  
Gimli breathed out heavily, his annoyance at the whole situation clearly evident. He could perhaps understand the fear and misunderstanding felt by the common townspeople, but Aragorn ought to know better.  
  
Turning on his heel, Gimli started to walk out of the cold stone room, roughly shouldering several guards aside, not wanting them to be close enough to even brush his friend on the way out.  
  
Legolas heard Gimli turn and begin to make his way out, but he lingered a few moments longer, still holding Aragorn's eye, trying to understand exactly what was happening. Finally, he dropped his gaze and turned slowly to follow the dwarf. He could hear the heavy steps of the king following him.  
  
Legolas kept his head held rigid and his eyes trained on the broad back of his friend in front of him. He dared not to look around at the gathering crowd that surged forward when they saw their king and guards come forward after the suspected criminal. There was much stir within the crowd, as if they wished to get their own licks in on the elf but dared not in the presence of the king.  
  
As for Legolas, he could easily feel the air of animosity directed towards him, along with the sorrow that followed him from Aragorn. Legolas felt an insane urge to cry, but of course that would never happen.  
  
So he stayed silent, and looked ever ahead, and kept his features tightly under control, an unmoving mask in place. He would be damned before he let any mortal see him in any sort of emotional breakdown.  
  
Gimli walked with his shoulders squared, his hand always on the smooth handle of his broad axe. He looked meanly out at the crowd, fairly daring them to try to do anything to his friend. He thought the whole thing to be ridiculous and felt the pain of the betrayal and suffering he knew his friend had to be going through. But since Gimli could not save him from that, for he would never go against Aragorn's wishes no matter how foolish he thought them to be, he would do his best to protect Legolas from any further shame. Perhaps he should have been surprised at the fierce level of protectiveness and futile rage on behalf of his friend he was feeling, but he could not even be bothered to question those emotions. He had seen the haunted look in Legolas' eyes return after the confrontation with Aragorn, and Gimli had almost hated Aragorn then and there for making Legolas look like that again. His friend had finally seemed to be past that.  
  
Gimli made his stout frame as large as possible, taking wide steps. He wanted to shove aside any who got too close, but unfortunately none did. He too could feel the general air of hostility held for his friend, and he wanted to kill those standing by for that alone. He could not believe how stupid they could be, Legolas would never hurt any of them, he had risked his life along with the rest of the Fellowship to ensure safety for all!  
  
Gimli snorted inwardly, fine examples of gratitude, he thought darkly to himself.  
The small procession finally reached their destination, a small stone prison. It had hardly been used before, outside of a few individuals being gathered to stay confined after a bit too much to drink, and Gimli's heart almost broke when he realized that Legolas would be having to stay in there. He hated stone.  
  
Gimli stopped before the door and Legolas automatically stopped behind him. Both of them would go no further on their own. Aragorn slowly made his way past them and stepped up to the door. He hesitated for a brief moment before pushing it open.  
  
Legolas did not move. He glanced surreptitiously down at Gimli, but Gimli caught the look and understood. Legolas did not want to go in alone.  
  
Gimli took a few steps forward into the stone structure and Legolas followed. Aragorn followed after them and motioned for a single guard to come in as well, then he shut the door on the rest of the people outside, he knew Legolas did not like having an audience.  
  
The four individuals stood awkwardly in the main room of the prison. There was only this room, a somewhat cramped room with a single chair off to the side, and then the small cell used for prisoners. The cell was in the far left corner of the room, positioned furthest from the single window in the whole structure, surrounded by thick metal bars with a heavy lock on the door. There was only room in the cell for a small bed, though it was more like a cot, stuffed sparsely with hay with a single blanket and nothing else. The prisoner could sit or lay on the bed or stand in what little space was left, that was all.  
  
Aragorn stiffly went to a hook that was screwed into the wall next to the chair and removed an iron ring of keys. He then walked to the cell and unlocked the door. Stepping aside as he pulled the door open with a squeal from the ill-used hinges, he looked over at Legolas.  
  
Without a word exchanged between the two, Legolas took the few steps it required to reach the cell. He was about to enter when Aragorn placed a hand on his shoulder.  
  
Legolas stopped at the slight touch.  
  
"Your knife please," Aragorn said in a choked voice.  
  
Legolas turned his head and stared at Aragorn. He almost could not believe the request. Aragorn met his gaze, but only briefly. He dropped his eyes as if he was ashamed just for asking, but he kept his other palm outstretched, waiting for the knife.  
  
Legolas slowly reached around to the sheath that held his long elvish knife and pulled it out. Deftly flipping it so that he held the blade, Legolas then laid the hilt in Aragorn's hand. He was mildly glad that he did not have his bow with him, a great gift from Galadriel, for he never did like having other people handle it.  
  
Aragorn closed his fingers around the hilt and pulled it away from Legolas' loose grip. Then he stepped back and looked down as Legolas walked past him and into the small cell. Automatically, Aragorn softly closed the door behind him and locked it shut. He kept his eyes down the whole time, he could not bring himself to look at Legolas as he locked his own friend in. For his part, Legolas still had yet to say or do anything, but his eyes told Aragorn enough.  
  
Somewhere deep inside of himself, Aragorn knew that Legolas would actually forgive him someday, but it would prove to be difficult for him to forgive himself.  
  
Aragorn turned away from the cell and started to walk away. He gave a brief instruction to the single guard standing inside to remain to watch over Legolas and that he give him anything he asked for immediately.  
  
"Come Gimli," Aragorn said quietly as he reached the front door.  
  
"I will be staying here if you do not mind," Gimli said acidly. Aragorn almost allowed a look of surprise to pass over his face at the tone of Gimli's voice, but then checked it. He of course understood the dwarf's anger. Gimli would never do something like this to Legolas and probably could not fathom why Aragorn would do so.  
  
Aragorn made a quick decision.  
  
"Of course," he said, then to the guard, "I will not be needing your service after all. Master Gimli can see to Legolas."  
  
The guard nodded and looked relieved to not have to endure such a post. He glanced over at Legolas, slightly awed at the sight of the wounded yet strangely dignified elf.  
  
"I will come to you as soon as I can to let you know what is going on," Aragorn said aloud to no one in particular. He quickly discovered that he could not bring himself to look at Gimli either, for the dwarf was giving him a look that promised scarier intentions than any axe he had wielded.  
  
With another sigh and a heavy step, Aragorn exited the prison, followed by the nervous guard. Then the elf and the dwarf were alone, separated by metal and stone. 


	12. Chapter 12

Author's Note: Another fast update? That can only mean one thing...school's over! Yea! And since I know most of you are in the same position, let us pause for a moment to mourn the passing of yet another school year....forget that, let us celebrate the passing with, you guessed it, a new chapter! And I thank you all so much for the response to the last chapter, that was my personal favorite as of yet and I'm glad most of you felt the same way. Poor, poor Legolas, whatever is in store for him next? (evil laughter) Right then, I still make no money from this, which is why I need to find a summer job, so there's really no point in suing over it. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 12  
  
"Well we will certainly not have you staying in there," Gimli said as soon as the door was closed and he heard Aragorn and the guard walk away. The dwarf walked over to the wall and pulled down the ring of keys.  
  
Legolas saw his intent.  
  
"No," he said softly.  
  
Gimli stopped in his spot.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I do not want to cause anymore trouble for Aragorn," Legolas replied in the same quiet tone he had been using as of late. "If somebody were to come in and see me loose you would no longer be entrusted to be with me and they would question Aragorn over his authority. Trust me, they are waiting for the littlest sign to overthrow Aragorn's kindness."  
  
Gimli looked frustrated. "Fools," he spat out, "ingrates would not know a murderer if he came right up behind them with a knife."  
  
Legolas sighed and sat down heavily on the poor excuse for a bed, resting his elbows on his knees. "They cannot be blamed for what they do not know."  
  
Gimli snorted, he was not willing to give into any sort of logic. "They might not know better, dim-witted beings that they are, but Aragorn certainly knows better! I cannot believe he is doing this."  
  
"Do you not suspect me at all?" Legolas asked warily, turning his eyes upwards to his friend.  
  
Gimli dropped the keys and pulled the wooden chair over nearer to the bars, seating himself directly in front of Legolas and returning his somewhat unnerving gaze. "I do not suspect you because you said yourself that you did not kill that man. I believe you."  
  
Legolas leaned back until his back was against the rough stone wall. "And what of the knife and the other two murders? The ones that happened in the woods when I was out there?"  
  
Gimli squinted as if Legolas had just told him the sky was green. "What of them? I know the woods are a large place, you can be in them without being anywhere near where anything is happening."  
  
Legolas briefly closed his eyes and took a breath. When he re-opened them, there was a hard glint in them, as if he wanted to warn or scare Gimli.  
  
"What if I were to say that I was there?" Legolas questioned, his voice more intense but no louder than it had been. "What if I told you that I was there with the woman when she died and that the bloodied dagger was hers?"  
  
Gimli sat back slowly in his chair, carefully taking in what Legolas had just told him.  
  
"I would say that there is more to it than that," he replied after a few moment's silence.  
  
"And I would agree," Legolas immediately answered, his voice tired and soft again, "only I know not what it is."  
  
Gimli squinted again. He was trying desperately to understand what his friend was trying to tell him, but he suddenly felt very lost, and the elf sitting behind the bars in front of him was not sounding like his old friend.  
  
Gimli took a breath.  
  
"Something happened last night," he started slowly, "I know not what it was, or how it came to be, but for a few moments this morning, you were back to your old self. You were the ever prideful and annoying elf that I have grown to love, not the shadow that you have been for some time now. You had your old spark back in you, that old confidence that assured yourself and anyone around you that nothing could touch you, nothing could get to you, and you would also destroy anything that tried to touch those closest to you. For a few moments this morning, I truly had my old friend back."  
  
Gimli paused for a moment, allowing a small break for Legolas to intervene if he so wished. Only the elf remained quiet, his eyes locked on Gimli's, and the dwarf could tell that he was listening intently to everything that he was saying.  
  
Gimli continued. "The only thing I do not know is what happened last night for you to get your strength back, and most importantly, what happened before for you to lose it. You said you would tell me all I wished to know today, and I know you well enough that you always keep your word."  
  
Legolas still did not reply, but Gimli could almost see some sort of inner struggle going on within the elf as if he were weighing his options. The dwarf knew that it was mainly pride that kept Legolas from confiding everything to the dwarf, for that would mean that he was not strong enough to handle his own affairs. But Gimli would never hold it against him, he knew himself that everybody had a breaking point, and it was amazing that it had taken so many years for Legolas to finally reach his.  
  
Just when Gimli was about to mention something about Legolas averting his eyes, that unblinking stare of his was getting out of hand again, Legolas sighed, dropped his gaze and pushed himself up so that he was sitting up straight. Gimli knew this was a sure sign of Legolas coming to terms with himself, he would tell Gimli what he knew, at least the important facts if not everything.  
  
"Ever since I have returned here from Ithilien," Legolas started, "I have felt out of place with myself. It is truly an odd feeling, one that I have never had before, and I only accredited it to the fact that I had been feeling useless for some time now and had lost some sort of inner touch with myself." Legolas stopped and glanced over at Gimli, no doubt wanting to see what his friend's reaction would be to such a confession. Gimli's face revealed nothing, except for the fact that he was listening without any judgments until he heard everything.  
  
Legolas fixed his eyes on a spot on the wall beyond Gimli and continued.  
  
"I was feeling a mix of emotions that I hardly ever experience, among them bitterness, melancholy, and fear. Fear of what I was not sure of, until I finally came back here and the first murder took place. Then I understood, I was afraid that I could no longer control myself, that so many years trained to be nothing but a warrior were finally beginning to take their toll. I was meant to be an assassin, and little else. And without having assignments or anything to defend, my talents were wasted.  
  
"Now I know that you are probably thinking that I had the restoration of Ithilien to keep me occupied and such, and that was what I thought too. But even with that I was growing restless. All I could think of were past battles, and especially mistakes made in those battles. Particularly when I was young, I made too many mistakes, and usually others had to suffer for them."  
  
Gimli was aware that Legolas had gone off on a tangent and was almost babbling, but he also realized that this was probably exactly what Legolas needed to get off his chest, so he let him continue with no interruptions.  
  
Legolas seemed to catch himself as well and he stopped, taking a small breath before continuing.  
  
"But that was not the strangest thing. That first night, when I left you early to go back to my room, I could have sworn that I did go straight to my room. Yet the next morning, I could not fully come up with what happened the night before. I heard of the murder with you of course, and I saw the body along with you and Aragorn, and as much as I hated to admit it, it did look like the style of an elf. For some reason, this angered me, and I felt very defensive, and it was not until after you asked me what I had done the night before did I realized why I was so angry." Legolas had to pause for another breath before continuing. "It was because I was afraid that perhaps I had somehow unknowingly done it."  
  
Gimli exhaled sharply and fidgeted as if he wanted to say something, but Legolas rushed on with what he had to say, he could not want to hear what Gimli had to say just yet. He knew that once Gimli started to speak, Legolas would lose his nerve and not say the rest that he meant to tell him.  
  
"I know that you are thinking it odd, and so do I. I thought to myself that surely my momentary mind block had absolutely nothing to do with the murder, but the fact that I could not even explain the mind block was worrisome by itself. Nothing like that has ever happened to me, and I have heard no tales of such a thing happening to others. I wanted nothing more to dismiss it, but then the other murder happened. Only this time, I fully remembered being there.  
  
"The next night after I separated from you, I went to do my rounds near the woods, as I had said. This time, I encountered the young victim, and at first I was trying to help her, she was looking for her brother. And then we were attacked."  
  
Gimli finally interrupted.  
  
"But do you not see? You just said it yourself, you were attacked."  
  
Legolas was shaking his head and he held a very distant look in his eyes, as if he was not fully there. And in truth he was not quite there, for he was finally beginning to remember more of what had happened that night. Small pieces were falling into place.  
  
"No," Legolas whispered, his eyes sweeping back and forth as if watching something. "That was the strangest part. We were attacked, and I turned to defend us, but it was not coming from behind." Legolas paused briefly, waiting for his memory to catch up to him. "The attack was from beside us, and before I even knew it there was a knife in my side. I looked to the side to see the attacker, but there was only the woman, and she was screaming, and the knife in me was the one that the young woman had carried, the same knife later found in my chambers."  
  
Legolas' breath was coming more heavily.  
  
"Yes, the blood on it was my own, but it did not stay that way. I took the knife out from my own flesh, made the wound worse even, and I turned to the side, the side that the woman was standing on."  
  
Legolas stopped.  
  
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. A small grimace passed over his fair features.  
  
He opened his eyes again, "And that is as far as I can remember."  
  
Gimli stood from his chair. "Yet you know there is more to it than that," he said, a mix of excitement and anger coming through in his voice. "You remember that you were attacked, you were even wounded. The blood on the knife can be explained, there is nothing that can be held against you now."  
  
Legolas looked up at the dwarf, "There is more to the tale," Legolas told him, "I cannot remember what it is."  
  
Gimli began to pace. "That does not mean that you did anything more, save perhaps fighting with the true murderer." Gimli halted his pacing, standing right in front of Legolas. "You already said that you did not kill the man last night."  
  
Legolas nodded, "Yes, that is because I clearly remember last night. I was in the woods, but nothing happened, and I had no black-outs. Though it is odd that the night I choose to go out another murder happens."  
  
Gimli's eyes widened. "That is not such an odd thing to the one who is trying to frame you."  
  
Legolas waved his hand. "I have thought of that," he muttered, "but that in itself makes no sense."  
  
Gimli sat back down in the chair, fairly bursting from excitement. "It does make sense. Another elf could easily try to frame you, perhaps one with a grudge against you. That would explain Bergel seeing one who looks like you, he did not say that it was you, only that it was somebody who looks like you. And to a mortal in the darkness of night, I can easily tell you that you elves look alike."  
  
"But I know of the elves in this area," Legolas tried to dismiss the idea that is was another elf, "and not a one of them would do such a thing."  
  
"Then it is a rogue elf," Gimli replied.  
  
"I would have heard of such a rogue long before I even came back to Gondor," Legolas said, "I am informed immediately of all matters concerning elves both in Gondor and Ithilien."  
  
Gimli grunted. "Then it is a mortal who knows elves well and is miming the ways of the elves with the wounds on the victims."  
  
"It would be very difficult for a mortal to do that," Legolas said.  
  
"Aye, I will agree with that," Gimli answered, "but that does not mean it is impossible. It is easy to make such neat and efficient wounds when the victim is already incapacitated. He could have knocked the person out and then made the wounds."  
  
Legolas recognized that the enthusiasm for explaining the murders would not be doused within his friend, so he merely sighed. "I suppose that anything is possible."  
  
Gimli nodded and abruptly stood. "Good, then I will go get Aragorn. You can tell him what you just told me and he will let you out of here and then we can concentrate on finding the real killer."  
  
"No," Legolas said as Gimli started to turn away.  
  
Gimli stopped.  
  
"No what?"  
  
A small flicker of panic crossed over the elf's eyes, but the look was fleeting and Gimli could not swear to it.  
  
"I cannot tell Aragorn what I have just told you, especially about my being there when the young woman was killed."  
  
Gimli snorted. "That is a ridiculous fear. Aragorn will trust you and understand, he might even have an explanation for the mind blocks or whatever it is you have."  
  
Legolas stood, grabbing onto the bars and almost pressing against them in his desperation to not have Gimli leave and get Aragorn. "Strider would understand, I entirely agree with you, but he is no longer simply Strider of the Dunadain. He is Aragorn, the king of Gondor, and he has a responsibility towards his people. He cannot release a suspected criminal and the fact that I was present for at least one of the murders will count against me, not help me."  
  
Gimli looked as though he wished to argue some more, but he took notice of the near desperation in his friend's voice, so he slowly turned back and sat down in the chair. Legolas relaxed and released the bars, taking a step back and seating himself back on the lumpy bed. 


	13. Chapter 13

Author's Note: Wow, so sorry for the horrendously long update, writer's block hit me full force and for some reason it took me forever to write this chapter. Hopefully I have overcome the evil writer's block and the next update won't be so bad. But on to better things, as always thanks so much for the lovely reviews, it warms my heart. (big cheesy grin) And as always I am not Tolkien, do not own the recognizable characters, do not own the title, but as a reviewer pointed out, I do own the plot, so there! Hopefully it will prove to be a good plot, that would be disappointing if the only thing I owned was no good. Ah well, such are the dangers of writing. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 13  
  
The dwarf and the elf spent the rest of the day within the small prison. Gimli refused to leave his friend even at meal times and ordered for both his food and Legolas' food to be brought to them. Little more time was spent talking and both of the friends were content to merely sit in silence, quietly feeding off of each other's presence.  
  
When night fell and the hour grew late Gimli spread out a small blanket he had found in a cupboard meant to serve as a closet and spread it out on the floor next to the cell.  
  
"You do not have to do that," Legolas commented softly when he saw his friend readying a spot on the hard floor.  
  
"I will not be one to leave you alone in a small stone space in the dark. I know how much you dislike that," Gimli replied immediately in a tone that suggested he was telling Legolas something he should have had sense enough to know without asking.  
  
Legolas smiled faintly in the dark, knowing that Gimli would not be able to see it. He felt his heart tear at the words of the stout being, but it was not a bad tear. He was slightly warmed to know that he had such a faithful friend and had to wonder vaguely at what he had done to deserve such.  
  
"Besides," Gimli continued, "what kind of warden would I be if I could not even keep the night watch?"  
  
It was meant to be a joke, and Legolas knew this, but he could not bring himself to reply to it.  
  
Gimli noted the silence and quickly decided not to mention anything like that again. There was a time and place for making fun of Legolas, often most of the time and in many places, but this was not one of them. There was hardly a situation in which Legolas felt either sensitive or uncomfortable, but Gimli knew him well enough to be able to read when that would happen.  
  
Making a little bit more conversation to make sure that Legolas was as well with his present state as he could be, Gimli slowly drifted off to sleep.  
  
Legolas knew immediately when his friend was asleep. His breathing patterns changed and his body seemed to relax. Legolas remained where he was, seated on the bed, his back leaning against the rough stone wall. He looked beyond the iron bars to the small window and focused his gaze on the few stars that shone through. He was vaguely reminded of the free run he had enjoyed last night, and the old feelings of confidence and power he had almost forgotten about.  
  
Legolas sighed.  
  
Softly, so as not to disturb his sleeping friend, Legolas sang old songs of myth and valour to himself.  
  
Gimli was roused by the harsh grating of the bottom of the door scraping against the floor as the front door was thrown open. Gimli blinked, his eyes immediately falling on Legolas as he had awoken facing the cell. He took momentary notice of the steady gaze of the elf as he looked at whoever had come in and the fact that Legolas was sitting up in the same position Gimli had last seen him in. But then the next moment Gimli was hastily trying to free himself of the blanket that had become entangled around his body while simultaneously turning to greet the guest himself. If it was another one of those guards come to bother Legolas, he would first have to get through Gimli.  
  
Gimli finally stood and turned and first saw that it was indeed another guard standing in the doorway. But before Gimli could interrogate him as to what he thought his business was to be here, the guard stepped aside, revealing Aragorn behind him. Aragorn stepped inside and then gestured for the guard to close the door.  
  
"I bring good news," Aragorn said after a brief hesitation. Gimli eyed him suspiciously, he had become wary of any news Aragorn had when it came to concerning his friend. But he had said it was good, so Gimli was inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt.  
  
Aragorn stepped over to the wall and removed the heavy key ring from the nail it perched on. He then walked to the cell, speaking as he went.  
  
"I am no longer confining you in here, but after much debate I have had to agree that Gimli is to be at your side at all times. He is to act as an informal warden so that you may do as you please." Aragorn worked as he spoke, turning the key in the lock that held the bars together.  
  
Legolas watched Aragorn silently as he moved. He could not help but notice that Aragorn had not quite brought himself to look up at him since he had entered.  
  
Aragorn finished turning the lock and pulled open the door. "You do not have to stay in here any longer," he finished, his eyes still not fully meeting the elf's.  
  
Legolas slowly stood up from his position on the bed and stepped outside of the cell. He lingered next to Aragorn as Aragorn turned to shut the door and twist the key in the lock again. Then Aragorn moved to replace to key ring to the wall, still without looking at Legolas.  
  
"Well this is certainly more like it," Gimli declared. "I was beginning to believe that all good sense had forsaken this place. Come now, I will remain at Legolas' side if that is what it takes for these foolish humans to see the right. In the meantime we can work to clear his good name once and for all."  
  
The dwarf's cheerful words seemed to fall on deaf ears. Legolas made no sign of equaling Gimli's confidence and though Aragorn smiled, it was clearly forced.  
  
"Yes," Aragorn agreed, "this place will soon be back to peace and normality, whatever the cost may prove to be."  
  
Legolas almost frowned at Aragorn's words, it seemed to him that his old friend had not told them everything. But not wishing to reveal any emotion at the moment, Legolas kept his face in a stern mask. He would ponder the odd wording of Aragorn's seemingly prophetic phrase later if he so wished.  
  
Gimli moved forward to follow Aragorn out of the prison as the king turned to exit. Legolas forced himself to follow as well, though doing so felt as though he was accepting a kind favor from Aragorn out of obligation.  
  
The trio walked to the Halls of the Kings and Legolas had to marvel at the fact that not another soul was seen outside. He had grown accustomed to a crowd gathering wherever he chose to go, as if he was a novelty they scarcely had the grace to see. But this time there was no such gathering, and Legolas found himself immensely grateful on the inside at the small fact. Though he had grown to expect it, that did not mean that he appreciated it.  
  
They entered the Halls of the Kings and just as Legolas was about to break off to go towards his own chambers Aragorn spoke again to them.  
  
"If I may have a minute of your time again my friends in my personal chambers," Aragorn asked quietly.  
  
Gimli nodded immediately and Legolas only turned to face Aragorn. Aragorn gave a small nod as well and then turned towards the section of hallway that would lead to his chambers.  
  
When the three reached the room Gimli and Legolas walked in first with Aragorn holding the door open and then closing it as soon as they were all in. The dwarf and elf settled down at the long table and waited to hear what more Aragorn had to say to them.  
  
"Though I no longer wish for Legolas to be confined," he began, "I have a small favor to ask of the two of you." Aragorn paused to be sure that he had the full attention of the two. Gimli was frowning as he watched Aragorn, he already did not like the turn of the conversation. Legolas was sitting still, his face impossible to read. Aragorn continued.  
  
"Word has been sent out to Faramir of the strange happenings here and the concerns that it could have a tie to Ithilien."  
  
Legolas still did not show anything, but he began seething on the inside at the words. He could only imagine what the tie to Ithilien was, everybody was still convinced that it was an elf who was committing the murders.  
  
"My messenger finally arrived yesterday evening and reported to me that Faramir was coming to Gondor himself to see if he could assist in any of the matters. As for myself, I will be riding out to meet him halfway with a small contingent of some of my guards. I do not want to risk anything happening to any representatives of Ithilien or to Faramir as they travel through the forest." Aragorn paused slightly again. "Additionally, I do not believe Faramir knows of the suspicions that have been placed on Legolas. So I wish to be there myself so as to deter any soldiers from informing him when they do not even know of what they speak. I will tell Faramir everything as soon as he arrives here in a private meeting."  
  
Aragorn stopped again, but this time he looked directly at Legolas. It was the first time he had come to fully regard Legolas this morning and Legolas met his gaze head on. "I know of what you are going through," Aragorn said quietly, "and I know how you are feeling unjustly persecuted. But you also must know that the people of Gondor are highly suspicious of you and vigilantes are not an uncommon rise. This is why I must ask you to please remain in your own chambers with Gimli while I am gone. I do not want to risk any more incidents that can further incriminate you."  
  
Legolas still said nothing, still showed nothing.  
  
But Gimli of course would not stand for it.  
  
"Here now Aragorn," he spoke up, "I have been telling you time and again that you know it is not Legolas committing these crimes. He would never do such a thing. All of these precautions are ridiculous."  
  
Aragorn's jaw clenched slightly.  
  
"Yes master dwarf, I do know this. Legolas would be the last person I would ever suspect of anything such as this. But it is not my own judgments that I fear. I cannot help the will of the people, and there comes a time when even the most rational person will refuse to listen to reason. I ask you of this out of concern for Legolas' own safety. Until we can catch and prove the identity of the killer beyond all doubt Legolas is in danger here."  
  
Aragorn took a breath after his small tirade. His voice had become more forceful as he spoke and for the first time Gimli and Legolas could sense the true frustration that lay beneath the king.  
  
Gimli looked abashed. He glanced over at Legolas and saw that the elf's gaze had softened somewhat. He was studying Aragorn, and it seemed as though the elf had finally come to a conclusion about his friend.  
  
Before Gimli could say anything more, Legolas finally spoke up. "All is well, I understand your concern. I shall stay inside with Gimli for the remainder of the day and put my faith in you and Faramir. I trust you shall do all that you can."  
  
Aragorn blinked. He straightened from where he had been leaning over the table. He gave Legolas a nod. "Thank you," was all he said.  
  
Legolas caught small signs of relief within Aragorn.  
  
"I will be leaving shortly to ride out," Aragorn said after a few moments of silence. "I am truly sorry to be leaving the two of you in your time of need, but I will return before tomorrow morning. Then we will truly work on straightening all of this mess out."  
  
Taking this as their cue to leave, both Gimli and Legolas stood from their seats and made their way out of the room. Without a word between the two of them they made their way down the hall to Legolas' own chambers. Once they reached the room they settled themselves in and silently resolved themselves to staying inside there until Aragorn once again came for them. It was in truth another prison, but at least one with light and without stone. 


	14. Chapter 14

Author's Note: Another slightly lengthy update, but I think most of you will be pleased with the results of the wait. I won't say too much, I love you guys for the reviews as always and now you can go ahead and read on.  
  
Chapter 14  
  
The elf and dwarf spent the whole of the day uneventfully within Legolas' chambers. They took turns pacing about, but Gimli often did this more so than Legolas. Legolas would be content to merely sit cross-legged on the bed, leaning against the headboard, and not move for about two hours.  
  
Gimli commented on his friend's behavior after one such two hour interval. "How you can sit there so still for so long is beyond me. You elvish folk are indeed set in your strange ways."  
  
To which Legolas let a small smile shape his lips. "It would not be such a bad trait for you to learn, friend. There is no sense in tiring out the body with ceaseless pacing. The mind can think more clearly when there is no other activity happening."  
  
Of course, Legolas did not tell Gimli what he was thinking about. He may have looked calm on the outside, but inside his thoughts were continuously churning over his plight. He was still desperately trying to remember what had happened the nights of the first two murders, and then he would go over every detail of the night of the third murder. Why he could clearly remember one and not two others was beyond him.  
  
And then his mind would shift and take him back to the feelings of betrayal and imprisonment from Aragorn. He would fiercely remind himself that Aragorn could not be blamed, he was only doing his duty, but that was little comfort. And he was always fighting the small condemning voice that always tried to present itself in his mind.  
  
Presently, night slowly crept over the land.  
  
The coming of night found Legolas perched this time on the windowsill, his eyes sweeping out into the cool darkness, and Gimli still pacing about behind him. Legolas had almost come to the brink of annoyance with the dwarf's incessant movement, but he did not wish to say anything about it. His friend was probably going stir-crazy, but he had not complained. He was doing this for Legolas' benefit, and Legolas had not the heart to say anything about it.  
  
So he preoccupied his mind with gazing out into the deepening darkness. He had long since ago shut off the destructive thoughts in his mind, not wanting to keep going over events he apparently could do nothing about. So he kept an old song running through his mind, occasionally humming a few lines of it.  
  
"Aragorn should be coming back soon," Gimli muttered aloud. Legolas gave a small nod to acknowledge he had heard the dwarf but did not turn away from the window.  
  
Gimli finally paused in his movements and leaned against the bed, watching his friend. Legolas was sitting easily upon the small sill, one leg in the room and the other dangling out on the other side. His eyes were turned far away, but Gimli could not shake the odd sense that was trying to come over him. He was reminded of the first night when he had come to Legolas and the elf had been seated upon the windowsill. His eyes had been so distant and alien to the dwarf, and Gimli had not liked the odd sensations that had accompanied the elf's gaze.  
  
Gimli tried to shake the feeling away. In its place came the questions he had been wanting to ask Legolas all day. He knew that Legolas had told him much in the prison house, but Gimli still had more questions as to what was going on with the elf. Yet every time he tried to bring out the questions, they died in his throat when he would turn to actually look at his friend. Legolas looked positively calm and serene on the outside, but Gimli knew his friend well enough to know that it was not so on the inside. Legolas himself was going over questions he did not know the answers to, and Gimli did not want to further disturb the elf.  
  
But now Gimli thought that perhaps this would be a good time to question him. He would just have to be careful with phrasing himself. He did not want risk Legolas feeling anymore betrayed, he knew that Aragorn's actions had already caused Legolas a deep hurt.  
  
Before Gimli could bring himself to say anything, there was a small knock on the door. Both Gimli and Legolas turned their heads toward it, but it was Gimli who got up and went to the door. Legolas remained where he was, not bothering to stand yet.  
  
The opened door revealed Bergel standing on the other side, his features twisted in nervousness. When he saw it was Gimli who opened the door however, a small grin of relief twisted his already crooked features.  
  
"My Lord Aragorn asks of me to come get you so that he can talk with you," Bergel told Gimli in his broken speech.  
  
Gimli frowned in surprise. "Aragorn is back already? He must have met Faramir closer than he anticipated."  
  
Gimli turned to Legolas. "Come Legolas, it seems Aragorn is back early."  
  
Bergel took a step forward when he heard Gimli. "No Gimli," he said frantically. Gimli turned back to him, puzzled at his small outburst.  
  
Bergel bit his lip and looked over at Legolas who had stood up smoothly but had not yet moved. Bergel whispered to Gimli, as if Legolas could not hear him anyway. "The Lord wants to talk with you by yourself, not with sir Legolas too."  
  
Gimli frowned again. That seemed like an odd request to him. Aragorn had told them before he left that he would speak with them as soon as he was back and had filled Faramir in with all the important information.  
  
Gimli glanced back at Legolas. He was sure Legolas had been able to hear Bergel, and his suspicions were confirmed as Legolas had already sat back down, unconsciously taking up the exact same position he had been sitting in, as if he had not stood at all.  
  
Legolas gave Gimli a small nod before turning his face back to the open window, his eyes once again far seeing. He understood that Aragorn wanted to speak with Gimli alone, and that it probably meant ill news for Legolas. Perhaps Faramir had had reports of murders as well, more mysterious elvish murders. Legolas sighed.  
  
"I will be back as soon as I can," Gimli told Legolas.  
  
Legolas gave another nod but did not bother to turn to look at him as he did so again. Gimli took a breath and turned back to Bergel. "Well, let's go but go quickly. I want to be back as soon as possible."  
  
"The Lord is in his council room," Bergel told Gimli, "I's can't go with you because he told me to go talk to someone else with a message."  
  
Gimli nodded. "Alright, I will not keep you from your duties any longer. You can go deliver your message."  
  
Bergel broke out in another crooked grin and turned to hurriedly shuffle away.  
  
Gimli took one last look at Legolas before he left. "I am sure it is nothing important," he said then repeated, "I will be back as soon as I can."  
  
Legolas only gave another nod, and Gimli wished that his friend would just look at him. But Gimli only lingered for a moment longer before turning and leaving the room, pulling the door closed behind him. Then he hurried on down the hall. He had a mind to tell Aragorn that he should not continue to be keeping secrets from Legolas, that they were damaging his spirit. If he suspected Legolas at all he should just tell him, not continue to run about and try to keep things from him. Gimli knew Legolas would be more grateful with simple, direct information.  
  
Legolas heard Gimli leave the room and close the door. He even heard him walking away for a good distance until he tuned the sound out. Legolas let out another sigh into the fresh air. He could only imagine what news Aragorn held this time. But the real frustration was Aragorn not thinking that he could tell Legolas at the same time. Likely he thought he was trying to spare the elf's feelings, but being left in the dark about things was much worse.  
  
Legolas picked up where Bergel's visit had interrupted his song, but this time he sang it aloud rather than merely in his head. Nobody was around to hear it anyway. He knew that Gimli did not particularly mind his singing, but he was not sure just how much the dwarf could take, so he tried to not do it too often in his presence.  
  
Legolas stopped singing.  
  
He was not sure, but he thought he had heard a sound from outside.  
  
Legolas sat extremely still and strained his ears, trying to pick up the sound again.  
  
Almost immediately, he heard it again.  
  
It was the sound of a woman screaming.  
  
Not even pausing to think, Legolas leapt free from his seat and out of the window. He already knew the general direction of the sound, but needed more before he could pinpoint the exact location. The scream came again as Legolas bolted in the direction it was coming from, it was coming right from the edge of town, near the woods.  
  
Legolas was on the scene in no time, he had not held back in his running at all. His hand went for his belt right before he got there, but he came up with nothing. He had forgotten, but Aragorn had never returned his long elvish knife.  
  
The next moment after the realization that he had no weapons with him found him where the screams had been coming from. Legolas stopped his run and paused, considering that he would be weaponless if he should perhaps come upon the murderer. But what Legolas saw quickly wiped away his fears.  
  
Laying face down on the ground before him was the body of a young woman, just as he had suspected. But there was nobody else around.  
  
Legolas quickly scanned the immediate area with his eyes and strained his ears. He could not see or hear anybody around. That was indeed odd, as he had heard the screaming while he was running. The attack had to have just happened, and the killer should not have had the time to get away that fast.  
  
Legolas' attention was diverted when he heard the woman let out a soft moan. She was still alive.  
  
Legolas went to her and knelt on the ground next to her. She was laying on her stomach and Legolas hesitated a moment, not wanting to risk her anymore harm. But he could not see any wounds from this position so after brief consideration he pulled her gently by the shoulders and turned her onto her back.  
  
Legolas saw immediately that her throat had been laid open, just like the others had. She also had various other wounds but this one was the most severe he knew and the one that was causing her to rapidly lose her life. Though she was still alive, her open eyes were sweeping the dark sky above her back and forth and her strained breath was still lifting her chest. Legolas knew she was not far from death.  
  
Legolas thought rapidly of what to do. But even if he could bind her neck well enough he knew that it would buy her minutes only. Not even Aragorn would be able to save her.  
  
For some reason, the thought of another death was greatly disturbing to Legolas. He did not even know this woman, but he could easily smell the terror coming from her and the tears running free from her eyes affected the elf. Despite enduring the War of the Ring, he still could not bring himself to understand mortal death. Their lives were so easily taken, and in this case it was taken senselessly. There was no reason for this young woman to be ending her already short life so soon.  
  
Finally, Legolas did the only thing he could do. He began to sing to her.  
  
The song and the sound of the elf's voice immediately worked to put the woman at ease and her gasping breaths slowed. Her eyes stopped their frantic sweeping and her face relaxed from the terror that had been contorting it. Her hands stopped clawing at the ground and her whole body seemed to relax.  
  
Legolas kept up his song and saw that her eyes drifted shut. But she continued to breathe and if it were not for the blood that persisted in draining from her neck Legolas would have thought she were merely going to sleep. Eventually, the blood slowed, matching the pace of the breath. And then they both stopped.  
  
Legolas stopped his singing as well and said a few elvish words when she was dead. They were words meant to guide the soul safely to the Halls of Mandos and even though she was mortal that was all that Legolas knew to say. He did not know what prayers humans said at death so he kept with what he knew.  
  
Carefully, Legolas laid her body down from where he had been cradling her in his arms while he sang. He absently noted that her blood had dripped onto him and covered a fair amount of his hands and arms. Legolas sighed and sat back on his heels, passing his hand over his brow. He found that he could not take his eyes off of the woman's still form. He guessed that she could not have been over twenty years of age, she had not had a chance to accomplish anything in her life, she was still a mere babe in comparison to him.  
  
Legolas forced himself to stop thinking about her death, so he turned his thoughts back to her murderer. He still could not fathom how the attacker had managed to flee from the area before Legolas had arrived. He should have been able to at least hear the person running from the area.  
  
Legolas looked around again. The woods were about twenty paces in front of him. They were right on the edges of Gondor.  
  
Something caught the elf's eye.  
Leaning over the woman's body so that he could reach it, Legolas grabbed a white-handled object. It was an elvish knife, the blade covered in blood, no doubt the murder weapon. Legolas turned it over in his hands and let out a small cry of surprise.  
  
It was his knife.  
  
And that was when he heard the footsteps behind him. He had not been the only one to hear the woman's cries.  
  
Legolas immediately stood and turned to face the crowd, the knife still in his hand. A small mob was coming towards him, their torches and weapons raised high. Legolas glanced down and saw that he still held his knife. Instantly, Legolas realized that he had just been caught in a bad situation. And that he had been undoubtedly framed.  
  
"Drop the weapon elf," one man in the forefront of the mob called out.  
  
Legolas did not move.  
  
"We've got him this time," another man yelled out.  
  
Legolas decided that the best thing to do would be to try to comply with the mob. He knew they would not listen to a word he said and he also did not want to fight them. Just the thought of fighting them made him feel uneasy. Not because he feared taking them on, but because he did not want to cause any more deaths.  
  
'A trained killer knows only one way to get out of this.'  
  
Legolas shook his head. Fitting that his condemning thoughts would choose to come back now.  
  
Legolas dropped the knife. He was weaponless.  
  
'They are so young, all of them are so young.'  
  
The first man in the mob reached him, a wooden staff held high and ready to strike.  
  
'No,' Legolas thought to himself, 'I do not wish to fight anymore.'  
  
Legolas ducked under the heavy swing of the staff and sidestepped as he brought himself up. The man was thrown off balance and staggered away from Legolas, trying to regain his balance. But Legolas' focus was already turned from him, he was locked on another man coming towards him. This one had a sword with him and he gave all his effort in trying to take Legolas' head off. Legolas ducked this blow too but the man was too close to merely sidestep him. Legolas instead met him headlong in the man's mid-section before standing, effectively throwing the man free over his head.  
  
'Stop,' Legolas continued to have a one-track mind, 'I do not want to fight.' But he said nothing aloud, only continued to try to avoid as many blows as he could while not inflicting any of his own.  
  
By this time, most of the mob had caught up to him and it was becoming harder to remain unscathed. If he avoided one blow something else was coming at him the next second.  
  
Finally, one such blow found its mark.  
  
Legolas was dancing out of the way of a thrust sword when a large branch caught him high on his back. Legolas went down to one knee.  
  
He still kept his vision focused on the most immediate threats to him, but this time there were two men on either side of him. He managed to avoid the next swing of the one who had undoubtedly caught him on the back, but the other man held a staff and cracked Legolas on his ribs.  
  
Legolas bit through the pain and rolled out of the way. His mind was still screaming for them to stop, that he did not want to risk hurting any of them, for he himself could hardly blame them for the attack. He had been foolish to leave the room.  
  
'They are so young, they know not what they do.'  
  
But another part of him was steadily growing angry.  
  
'If they are convinced they have the killer then they might as well have their actions justified.'  
  
'No, I am not a killer.'  
  
'To them you are.'  
  
Legolas was up again. The man with the staff tried to land another blow, but this time Legolas did not merely try to avoid it. Legolas grabbed the wooden staff.  
  
The man grunted and tried to free it from the elf's iron grip, but Legolas would not let him. Jerking his own arms back, Legolas easily yanked it from the man's grasp. Legolas quickly twirled the staff over his head, finding better positions for his hands as he did so, and then stopped with it held in front of him, his knees bent and in a defensive position. He did not want to fight them, but he had no choice.  
  
The men closest to him paused when they saw him holding the large staff, but it was not long before another sword came at him. Legolas parried easily with his staff and threw the sward off, taking the man to the ground with the force of the momentum.  
  
Legolas heard the snap of a bow-string.  
  
Throwing his shoulder back, Legolas lifted the staff with the movement of his body and felt it jerk in his arms when an arrow slammed into the staff. Legolas did not bother to marvel at the closeness of the arrow before bringing it over his head again and then back down on a man in front of him. He caught the man on his side and the man went down instantly.  
  
Legolas hesitated when he saw the man go down.  
  
'No, you are not their killer. They are too young, far too young.'  
  
Legolas' hesitation cost him. He himself was caught from behind as a large object slammed into his temple.  
  
For one second, Legolas' world exploded before him in bright colors. And when the world came back into focus, it was much dimmer than what it had been a moment before. Absently, Legolas realized that he had lost his hold of the staff.  
  
Another blow caught him on the back of his knees and he dropped down to them. In the back of his mind he was screaming at himself to get back up, to turn and face them again. But something else was holding him back. He had landed facing the body of the young woman. He once again took in the fact that she was so young, that she was not an elf and had no Halls of Mandos to go to. Truthfully, he did not know what happened to mortals when they died, but he did know that they did not often get the chance to revisit life again.  
  
'How many have you already killed? How many lives have been ended because of you?'  
  
Legolas felt another blow land on his chest, effectively laying him out on his back and clearing his vision of the dead woman. Now he instead saw the stars overhead.  
  
'So many stars.'  
  
'Almost like the number of lives you have taken.'  
  
'No more.'  
  
Vaguely, Legolas heard the sound of shouting. And then he noticed that no more blows were continuing to come down upon him.  
  
'Are they tired of death too?'  
  
And then Legolas recognized the voice that was shouting. It was Gimli. 


	15. Chapter 15

Author's Note: Ah, lookie here, a nice Friday update. See, that wasn't so long this time, was it? Okay then, on a side-note, Soulsearcher, why was I not informed of your foundation? I want to join, can I be treasurer? And another side-note, what the heck ever happened to our plushie line? Gah, so much to do so little time to do it. Right, as always I love you guys THIS much (opens arms realllllly wide) and if you would like to continue to review I would not be against it. Enough odd ramblings, on with the story, and no I'm still not the reincarnation of Tolkien.  
  
Chapter 15  
  
Legolas shifted back into the present. He could still hear Gimli arguing with the angry men, telling them to leave Legolas be and let Aragorn handle the situation.  
  
"And where is our noble king?" one man asked aloud. "Why does the king choose to be absent in matters concerning the elf?"  
  
Other voices of heated agreement rose and Legolas closed his eyes briefly. The soft ringing had finally left his ears, making everything now painfully loud. He just wished everybody would stop talking and just do what they had come to do.  
  
'They came to catch a killer.'  
  
'And they caught one.'  
  
'Ah, but did they catch the right one?'  
  
Legolas' body shuddered involuntarily as he let out a large breath. His slight movement caught the attention of one of the men, and Legolas soon found himself with a large staff held firmly over his chest, holding him down.  
  
Legolas would have laughed if he could.  
  
As if he needed something to keep him down, Legolas was unsure if he could even get up if he tried. And he definitely knew that he would not even be trying.  
  
"I will say one more time for you and your men to stand down and release the elf," Gimli's defiant voice came through to Legolas again. "Aragorn will be here shortly and he will then decide what will be done."  
  
"We already know what will be done," the man was not backing down.  
  
Legolas squinted and craned his neck slightly. The other voice sounded vaguely familiar. After a few seconds, Legolas realized why and he relaxed, allowing his head to fall back to the ground. He was still feeling somewhat calm about all of this, if not a little sad, and even his new bit of information did not alarm him.  
  
The man standing against Gimli was the father of the murdered girl, the same one that had already confronted Legolas in the courtyard. Legolas did not feel fear for himself at the man's presence, though it was quite obvious that he truly wished the elf death, rather he felt sympathy for the man. Legolas could not imagine that losing one's own kin was an easy ordeal and he had a strange desire to help this man in any way that he could.  
  
'Your death will make him feel better.'  
  
'Then it will have accomplished something.'  
  
But Gimli continued to fight for his friend.  
  
"Only Aragorn can take the law into his own hands."  
  
"We caught the elf red-handed this time," the grieved father fought back, "there is only one punishment available and I for one will see to it that it is done."  
  
Legolas was aware of the sounds of more scuffling and then shouting from Gimli, but his hearing was cheating his senses again and Legolas was unable to hear the finer points of the conversation. The only thing he knew for sure was when he suddenly saw the father standing over him. Legolas only blinked, and turned his eyes away from the man and back to the stars beyond when he saw the drawn sword in his hand. It seemed he was finally ready to ease his pain.  
  
'I wonder if death causes much pain.'  
  
Idle thoughts of the resigned.  
  
Vaguely, Legolas became aware of the increase in shouting.  
  
He thought perhaps Gimli had only increased his own efforts, but then he recognized other voices. It was not only Gimli shouting now.  
  
Legolas refocused his gaze back on the father above him, and saw that the man's face was turned away, the drawn sword now slack in his hand. Wondering at what was going on now, Legolas forced himself to tune into what was happening.  
  
"Stand back at once, clear a path."  
  
A regal voice was commanding the other men to move aside. Not the voice of Aragorn, but familiar nonetheless.  
  
"Has Gondor changed so much in my absence that the orders of the king are no longer acknowledged?"  
  
Nobody dared to answer the question and the ring of men surrounding Legolas began to reluctantly thin out. Immediately Gimli was at his side, kneeling down and grabbing desperately at the elf's shoulders. Legolas frowned slightly and moved to tell the dwarf to leave him be, that he could handle himself, but his body was still not listening to him, so he continued to lay still.  
  
Gimli looked across Legolas' prone form and Legolas became aware of another figure at his side. A side-glance confirmed that this time was Aragorn, and he too was gently pulling at Legolas, confirming wounds quickly as he lay so that he could then decide how they were to move the elf without causing more injury.  
  
And then the last face came into view, the person who had been issuing the orders.  
  
Faramir.  
  
Aragorn finished his quick examination and motioned to Gimli and Faramir. "Help me to move him to the Houses of Healing. There I can tend to his wounds more easily."  
  
The two men and the dwarf took positions on either side of the elf. They waited as a few other men came forward to assist. Legolas vaguely recognized them as guards from Ithilien.  
  
Working together, the men and dwarf moved carefully to first lift the elf and then slowly walk to the Houses of Healing. In the back of his mind, Legolas found the situation ridiculous. He could certainly walk on his own, he had never needed to be carried before and he hardly planned on starting that now. But again, his body refused to connect with his mind.  
  
"I will gather reports of what happened in the morning," Aragorn called out as they moved, "but until then I highly suggest that you all return to your homes. Anybody seen lingering in the streets will be jailed."  
  
Such was the wrath in their king's voice that the men hurriedly began to disperse, snuffing out torches along the way. There was much grumbling and whispered talk among the men as they moved, but they did move.  
  
The last one to leave was the man still holding out a drawn sword, a mixed expression of hatred and sorrow on his face.  
  
The small procession finally made its way to the Houses of Healing and the elf was carefully laid down upon a cold stone slab. Legolas picked up the feel of the surface immediately and shivered, but that was as far as his motions went. He wondered briefly as to why his body still refused to move, he had sustained worse hurts than this in his life, but only briefly and then no more. Instead, the elf chose to gave in to a light gray mist that had been bordering on the edges of his vision.  
  
"He has lost consciousness," Aragorn stated as soon as he saw the elf's open eyes go blank. He had become quite adept at recognizing when an elf was asleep, and since he was certain Legolas would not choose to sleep at this moment, than that only meant one other thing.  
  
"Gimli, tell me what happened," Aragorn asked as he moved quickly about the room grabbing dried herbs and bandages. Faramir had already sent one guard out for clean water and now he stood close by, ready to assist if his help was needed but not wanting to be in Aragorn's way.  
  
Gimli stood as close to Legolas as he could, staring down into the elf's now empty eyes.  
  
"I am not sure of the whole of it," he began, "but I heard a good deal of shouting and movement when I was walking back to the Halls of the Kings so I decided to see what was going on, if maybe there was another murder taking place. Instead I saw a mob of men converge on Legolas. I yelled at them to stop and thankfully they hesitated, but things would have definitely gone ill had you not shown up."  
  
"Why were they attacking Legolas?" Faramir spoke up.  
  
Gimli glanced at him, wondering how much of the story he already knew. "They said that they had caught the elf red-handed in the act of murder."  
  
Faramir certainly did not look impressed at the information, nor did he look disbelieving and Gimli had to assume that he knew a sizable amount of the recent happenings in Gondor.  
  
"Why were you walking back to the Halls of the Kings?" Aragorn questioned as he continued to administer to Legolas. "I thought that you had said you would stay with Legolas until I came back."  
  
"And that was most certainly what I did," Gimli said with a hint of injury to his voice, as if surprised that Aragorn would even think such a thing. "I had been told that you were already back and had requested to speak with me alone."  
  
Aragorn stopped and lifted his head to regard Gimli closely. "Who told you that?"  
  
Gimli's jaw went slack and his brows creased slightly as if he himself had just realized something. "Bergel," he said softly.  
  
Aragorn focused his attentions back to Legolas. "That is most odd indeed," he muttered, almost as if to himself.  
  
"But I have not the faintest idea as to why Legolas left his chambers," Gimli finished, an odd note to his voice.  
  
Aragorn lifted an eyebrow at the statement but said no more, remaining focused on the elf lying before him. After a few long moments of silent administrations, Aragorn finally straightened up and sighed.  
  
"His wounds are not that deep," he told the attentive Gimli and Faramir, "and he is certainly in no immediate danger. So I do not know why he is unconscious, and I suspect that it is partially of his own doing. He will come about soon enough."  
  
Aragorn turned to leave, motioning to Faramir as he did so. "Come, there is much you need to know. Will you be staying here Gimli?"  
  
Gimli nodded, his eyes trained on the still elf. "Of course."  
  
"Let me know if his condition changes," Aragorn said.  
  
Gimli nodded again, but said nothing. He hardly noticed when the room emptied of its other occupants and he was left alone with Legolas.  
  
"I am sorry I could not do more," he whispered, "and I am sorry I left you. This time I will not leave your side until the very demons of this earth kill me. You have my word on that."  
  
Gimli stretched out a hand and folded it over the elf's long one. He squeezed it gently and sighed, taking note of how unresponsive it was.  
  
Until Legolas' body jerked.  
  
Gimli looked at his friend's face in alarm, slowly realizing that the empty look had left his eyes.  
  
"Legolas?"  
  
Legolas blinked and looked around the room, confusion touching his features. His eyes came to rest on the dwarf. "Gimli?"  
  
Gimli leant forward eagerly, squeezing the hand he still held more earnestly.  
  
"Legolas, are you well?"  
  
"Of course," the elf answered impatiently, struggling to sit up. He became irritated when he was unable to do so and it took him a few moments to realize that it was because of Gimli holding him back.  
  
"I do not think you should be moving just yet, we will have to wait to see what Aragorn says." The dwarf explained when he recognized the familiar look of annoyance on the elf's face.  
  
Legolas relaxed slightly and focused his gaze straight ahead of him, up at the dark ceiling. The few lamps that were lit in the room did little to stave off most of the shadows.  
  
"I thought I was supposed to be dead," Legolas muttered aloud.  
  
Gimli furrowed his brows. "What? That is nonsense. You are the last one deserving of a death sentence, that much I know."  
  
"No," Legolas said in a quiet and strangely calm voice, "I am among the first."  
  
Gimli grew frustrated at the elf's mood. "Now listen here you stubborn elf, I am only going to say this once. I still do not know what has gotten into you lately, but it has to stop now. I do not even know yet of all that happened tonight, but I do know that the men are once again wrong, they have to be. I take your word over theirs any day. So you knock yourself out of your sacrificial mood or I'll be more than happy to use my axe and do it for you."  
  
Legolas let out a grim smile at the dwarf's words. "You have not heard what I have to say yet," he commented.  
  
"That means nothing," the dwarf shot back, "I still know enough to know the men are a bunch of babbling vigilantes."  
  
Legolas finally turned his head to the side, looking straight at Gimli.  
  
Gimli felt his words die in his throat.  
  
The elf's gaze was so intense and so alien that he instantly lost all his frustration and almost his nerve. Gimli shook himself and opened his mouth to tell Legolas to stop that immediately.  
  
But Legolas spoke first.  
  
"I finally remember what happened that first night," he said in his still calm voice.  
  
Gimli closed his mouth with a snap and then fumbled for what he wanted to say. He almost forgot what Legolas was referring to, but he caught himself just in time. He was talking about the night the first murder happened.  
  
"And," Gimli stopped himself to keep from stuttering, "and what do you remember?"  
  
Legolas' response was immediate and still strangely calm.  
  
"I am their killer." 


	16. Chapter 16

Author's Note: Ah, another day, another update. And in case you were wondering, yes, I love shocking you guys with twists. At least I haven't received too many death threats over the cliff-hangers yet, though I believe a few of you fell off the cliff with the last one. Did I ever mention how much I love your guys' entertaining reviews? 'Cause I really do. Anyways, as far as I know I'm still not related to Tolkien so I have no liability to be writing this but, oh well. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 16  
  
Gimli's breath caught in his throat. He could not believe what he had just heard his best friend say.  
  
Gimli finally took a breath and cleared his throat before moistening his lips and opening his mouth.  
  
"What do you mean you are the killer?"  
  
Legolas' eyes were still unwavering and locked onto the dwarf. He did not answer for a moment and Gimli could only stare transfixed at the elf laying before him, watching idly as the flickering light from the flames of the lamps danced across the contours of his fine face, making his features appear gaunt and more sharply defined.  
  
"I mean exactly what I say," the elf finally replied, "I am truly their killer."  
  
Gimli took a small step back from the stone slab Legolas lay upon and shook his head minutely, as if trying to wrench his will away from some sort of spell. When he looked back at Legolas there was a small fire in his eyes.  
  
"But that makes no sense. I know you elf, whether you like it or not, and you would not kill an innocent in cold blood."  
  
Legolas gave a small nod, as if agreeing politely with what Gimli was saying. "That much is true," he said.  
  
Gimli snorted. "Then praytell explain yourself elf for my patience is wearing thin. You say you are the killer but would never kill an innocent. Which is the truth?"  
  
"Both are true," Legolas answered.  
  
Gimli let out an exasperated sigh and started muttering dwarvish curses but stopped when Legolas continued with his answer.  
  
"I can now clearly remember that first night. After I left you I had intended to retire to my chambers for the evening, but first I wanted to go for a short walk near the trees. Yet when I came close to them, I became aware of some sort of disturbance within them. So I followed the signs in the trees and came upon a small glade. Once there, I saw one man attacking another."  
  
"So then it was not your fault," Gimli interrupted, "you saw someone in need and tried to help them."  
  
"That was my intention," Legolas replied, "but then I stopped."  
  
Gimli's brows furrowed. "Stopped what?"  
  
"Myself, what I planned to do. At first I wanted to simply put an end to the attack, to save the one that seemed like he was being victimized, but then a new thought came to me. What if I ended up saving the wrong one? What if the one attacking had initially been the one attacked?"  
  
Gimli opened his mouth to interrupt again, but then thought better of it and let Legolas continue.  
  
"So I remained hidden in the outskirts of the glade and simply watched. Both men looked equally compatible and had sustained injuries and I found myself wondering which would come out to be the winner. But then my focus changed.  
  
"I saw that one of the men was not as equal as the other. He was slightly slower and maybe less skilled and it was obvious he was running out of strength. His breath was coming very heavy and fast. That was when I finally made up my mind to put a stop to it all. I stepped out into the clearing with only my knife drawn and called out to them to stop. I had come up behind the slower man and he turned around first, perhaps startled at my revealing myself. And that was when the other man attacked and delivered the fatal wound to the throat.  
  
"He immediately turned to run off and I started after him, but I did not choose to trade my knife for my bow and an arrow to cut him down. Then I stopped again. I stood next to the dying man on the ground and could only look down at him. He reached up for me, as if there was something I could do for him. But of course I am no healer and was never trained for thus, I was only trained to kill, and I could not even do that for him. I had let his killer get away."  
  
Legolas' gaze became more distant as he spoke, and Gimli had the feeling that the elf was no longer seeing him though he continued to stare straight at him.  
  
"He was a large man, a strong man obviously. But he began to cry as he felt his own life fading away. All I could do was watch him as he died, I had never seen a mortal die this close up. Even as I felt sad for the man, I found I was also fascinated and could not tear my gaze away.  
  
"Finally, I dropped to one knee and grabbed the hand that he kept holding up towards me. This seemed to comfort him, and his crying stopped. I could not understand how I was providing comfort for him, but I was, so I stayed right where I was, not even thinking to leave him to seek out his killer and avenge him properly."  
  
Legolas paused and blinked and his eyes shifted somewhat and Gimli knew he was looking at him again. "And then he died," the elf finished.  
  
"But that does not mean that," Gimli tried to interject but Legolas kept going as if he did not hear him.  
  
"And then there was the second murder, with the young woman. This one I did try to help right away. She was alone and said she was looking for her brother, she was afraid something had happened to him. She was actually pleased to see me, she wanted me to help her, and I did.  
  
"But then something else happened. Something was out there, waiting for us. I could sense it, and I knew that it meant ill for us, so I turned her around and tried to get her out of there.  
  
"But we were too late, and I knew it. So I turned and I shot at whatever was behind us, but it was not truly behind us. Whatever it was was able to grab the woman's dagger and stab me in the side without my even seeing it. My senses were reeling and I tried to focus, I tried so hard to bring everything back to center and how it should be and fight off whatever was attacking us. And yet by the time I was finally able to ground myself and focus everything the woman was already down. The attacker did the same thing as before, it went for her throat and then ran off, leaving her for dead.  
  
"I intended to go after him, to finally bring him down, but then the woman called out to me. She too was reaching out for me and crying, saying not to leave her alone. So again I stopped, and I went to her, and did what I could to comfort her. It seems so much to mortals that they not die alone, there is such fear for them. I still do not understand it, they would rather be comforted than see their killer brought down."  
  
Legolas paused in his confession to Gimli and blinked again. "Death is such a strange thing for them, and I did nothing to help."  
  
Gimli could keep himself contained no longer.  
  
"Blaming yourself for their deaths is certainly not going to help," he started, his voice full of anger. "How can you say you are the killer when you did all you could to help?"  
  
"That is just it," Legolas said, his own voice finally breaking out of the cool calm it had been in. Legolas sat up and turned so that he was facing the dwarf in one fluid motion. When he looked down at Gimli, his eyes were glinting in the lamp light and staring with a harsh intensity that the dwarf had thought he had lost.  
  
"I did not do all that I could. I did nothing for the first murder, I even stood by and watched. And as for the young woman, I could not even focus myself to protect her. What kind of hero stands by and watches others die? Not a hero but a killer himself who cares nothing for the victim."  
  
Gimli would not back down, his own frustrations and emotions coming through in his tough and unyielding stance.  
  
"How can you believe that you cared nothing for them when you would stand by their side and comfort them until they did die? Even though you do not understand it, this is the best you can do for a fatally wounded mortal."  
  
"The best I could have done was go after the killer and bring him down so that he could not kill again. That would have been the most benefit so that there would be no other victims." Legolas refused to listen to reason.  
  
Gimli stopped. He knew Legolas' stubbornness well enough to know that this type of argument could go on for a while. He had wished a plague on the stiff necks of the elves before and this time was no different. So instead he opted for a different angle.  
  
"Did you see who the real killer was?"  
  
Legolas hesitated, momentarily thrown by the shift in conversation.  
  
"I did not get a clear look at him. For some reason that did not come to mind the first time I watched and the second time he was gone before I could focus."  
  
"Could you tell it was an elf?" Gimli pressed.  
  
Legolas paused again. "His movements seemed elf-like, and he would have to be extremely fast to be able to get that close to stab me."  
  
"Right then," Gimli immediately replied, "so now we know it is an elf and most definitely not you." The dwarf emphasized the last words of his sentence, but it was lost on the elf.  
  
"I only said it may be an elf, and if it is than it is not one that I know, so he cannot be from Ithilien. And besides that, if the killer is eventually caught and brought to trial than I should be tried along with him as an accomplice."  
  
Gimli growled through his teeth. Oh there were times when he simply wanted to knock his friend's head against a wall so as to rid him of his foolish ideas. Because once Legolas became fixated on an idea, he was firmly rooted in it.  
  
Another thought came to Gimli.  
  
"And what happened to you tonight, why did you leave the room when I left?"  
  
Legolas' brows furrowed momentarily as if he was unsure of what Gimli was talking about before his features cleared. "I heard the woman screaming from somewhere outside, so I went off to help. This time I did not want to lose another person to the killer and I wanted to get there as fast as I could to stop him. But as always, I was too late and once again I could do nothing but try to comfort the woman as she died. After she died the mob of men came, obviously they had heard her screams as well, and I did not wish to fight them, there had been too much death already."  
  
Legolas trailed off but Gimli did not bother to ask him to finish, he could easily figure out the rest of what had happened. It had shocked him when he first came upon the scene to see Legolas succumb to the group of men. Even as outnumbered as he was, he could have easily been able to escape from them unscathed. There was still more to this whole story than Legolas was letting on, but Gimli did not want to press that issue just yet.  
  
As Gimli took in his own assumptions and theories Legolas came up with a question of his own. "Where did you go?"  
  
The dwarf was distracted from his thoughts and momentarily confused. "When?"  
  
"When you went to see Aragorn. Aragorn came with Faramir from the direction of the trees, that much I could tell though at the time I did not care. So where did you go when you were summoned to him?"  
  
"Oh, that," Gimli had almost forgotten that detail when listening to Legolas' revelations. "He was not in his chambers where Bergel had said he would be so I went outside to see if maybe he was in the stables or some other place with Faramir, but they were not to be found and that was when I heard all the commotion and came to see what was happening."  
  
Legolas nodded absently. Something glimmered in his mind at the mention of Bergel's name, but his thoughts were distracted by images of the last dying woman in his mind.  
  
"I think you should send for Aragorn," Legolas said presently, "I have much to tell him."  
  
"I will not go until you get it out of your mind that you were responsible for the deaths," Gimli protested.  
  
Legolas let a grim smile crack his lips.  
  
"So much faith you hold for me," he murmured.  
  
"Of course," Gimli replied, "as I said before, I know you are no villain and I will not stand by and watch you destroy yourself with your own grief over situations you have no control of."  
  
Legolas only stared for a moment. Then, "Please send for Aragorn."  
  
And after a few more moments of muttered cursing, Gimli grudgingly replied. 


	17. Chapter 17

Author's Note: Right, I think you all know the drill by now. New chapter, more angst goodness, and hopefully spanking new reviews after you are done reading said chapter. And I'm still not Tolkien or related to him (I don't think) but I am now leaning towards one reviewer's explanation that I tried to steal Tolkien's work in a previous life but then was hit by a bus. That would explain a lot of things...oh well, just read and enjoy!  
  
Chapter 17  
  
Gimli had returned within a few moments with Aragorn and Faramir in his wake. He had not yet told them why Legolas wished to see them, only that Legolas was now awake. Aragorn wanted to check on him and see to his wounds and make sure that he did not try too much to strain himself and cause further injury.  
  
Gimli hung back once Aragorn and Faramir approached the Houses of Healing and then turned around altogether once they were inside. He did not think that he could stand anymore of Legolas' negative self-talk, it tore his heart to see his friend condemning himself so and not being able to knock him out of it.  
  
So the dwarf turned from the Houses of Healing and instead went off wandering a ways, his thoughts too jumbled to even try to sort out. He would hear what Aragorn had to say after he was done talking to Legolas, that was all he would do about that.  
  
Gimli had gone quite a few ways before he realized that he was much further from the Houses of Healing than he had intended. The dwarf paused and contemplated on going back or not when something caught the corner of his eye. Gimli turned and stared into a dark passage created between two buildings. He saw it again, a slight movement of shadow.  
  
"Hey now, who goes there?" Gimli shouted, his hand immediately going for the smooth handle of his axe.  
  
There was no answer, so Gimli took a step closer to the small alley. "Show yourself," he demanded.  
  
There was the sound of minor scuffling, and then a panted breath followed by broken words. "Master Gimli? This you?"  
  
Gimli frowned. "Bergel?"  
  
A small shout of a mixture of joy and relief and then Bergel was out of the alley and into what little light there was, falling and clutching at Gimli's leg.  
  
"Oh sir, good sir, thanks to the gods you are here, Gimli. I's be so scared and not knowing what to do, oh sir, thanks sir."  
  
Gimli stopped the babble by reaching down and pulling Bergel to his feet, steadying him so that he might be able to talk to him. "Bergel," Gimli said plainly, his eyes fixed on the man.  
  
Bergel stopped speaking but his mouth continued to hang open and he gazed back at Gimli with what looked like gratitude and admiration, as if Gimli had just saved his life.  
  
"Bergel," Gimli said again, "tell me what is the matter."  
  
Bergel appeared to ponder the question, as if processing it slowly through his mind. Then he took a quick look around and clutched at Gimli's shoulder, lowering his face to Gimli and whispering. "I's can't tell you here, too risky. He might hear."  
  
A strange sense of excitement went through Gimli. He was almost certain that Bergel was talking about the murderer and that Bergel would be able to tell him who it was. Gimli nodded.  
  
"Alright, then we shall go where it is safer."  
  
Bergel nodded sloppily and then followed as Gimli turned and walked into the small inn off to their left. It was Gimli's favorite haunt and normally bustling with activity, but right now it was empty and the dwarf did not even see his bar-tending friend anywhere. Gimli led Bergel to a table in a far corner and they both sat down.  
  
"Nobody can hear you in here," Gimli told Bergel.  
  
Bergel nodded and then slowly began speaking. "I was hiding, I was trying to not be found."  
  
"From who? Who were you trying to hide from?" Gimli questioned.  
  
Bergel took another quick look around. "From the gold-haired elf, the one with the sharp knives. He told me that I had to tell you to go to Aragorn today, that you had to go alone and then I had to leave too. I didn't want to, I didn't want to Gimli, I know that you would be mad but I had to. He said he would hurt me more if I didn't and then he would tell Aragorn that I has lied to him."  
  
Gimli interrupted Bergel. "When did you lie to Aragorn?"  
  
A pained expression passed over the man's face and he whimpered slightly. "I didn't mean to," he said looking down.  
  
Gimli reached across the table and grabbed Bergel's forearm. "It is well, I will not tell Aragorn anything you say."  
  
Bergel nodded, but he bit his lip and continued to look frightened and pained at the same time. "It's was when Aragorn ask me when I first saw the killer, when I said that he look like Master Legolas." Bergel paused again and drew in a shaky breath. "He does look like him, but I know it's was not him and I didn't say that to Aragorn. I's was too scared to say that."  
  
The pieces were rapidly falling into place for Gimli. "The other elf had already told you he would hurt you if you told?"  
  
Bergel said nothing but he nodded, looking down as he did so. Gimli, on the other hand, was feeling his excitement grow. Here he had all the information he needed, all he had to do was be careful so that Bergel could understand and give him the answers he needed.  
  
"Bergel," Gimli said. The man looked back up, his face terrified at possibilities that somebody else had already told him. "You are safe with me Bergel, nobody will harm you, but I need to know some things. Is this other elf trying to frame Legolas?"  
  
Bergel looked uncertain.  
  
Gimli tried again.  
  
"Is this elf trying to hurt Legolas?"  
  
This time understanding came through to him. "He does not like Master Legolas," he said softly.  
  
Gimli nodded and kept his face serious. "Is this elf from Ithilien?"  
  
Bergel was silent for a few moments and Gimli thought he did not understand again when the man finally spoke up. "I's don't think so, but I don't know really where he is from."  
  
Gimli nodded again and desperately tried to come up with more questions, but Bergel was fidgeting. He kept looking around the deserted inn, his face becoming more and more distressed. "Master Gimli," he said as he looked around, "sir, I's want to go."  
  
Gimli said nothing. He still wanted to ask one more question, but he could not find the right wording so that Bergel might understand it. But at this point, Bergel's agitation was becoming clear.  
  
"Sir, we need to go, Gimli sir, I have to go, now, we need to go now." As he spoke his voice rose higher and finally he stood up violently, his chair falling to the ground as he did so. For a second, he held his hand to one of his damaged ears and let out a small cry of pain. "We's have to go now," he said again and then turned, not even waiting to see what Gimli would do.  
  
Gimli stood up surprised. He had never seen Bergel act this distressed. It was almost like an animal of prey when they sensed a predator coming but could not see it.  
  
By the time Gimli had stepped out of the inn and back out onto the poorly lit street, Bergel was pacing in a small circle, his arms wrapped tightly about himself, his head shaking as he whispered heatedly to himself.  
  
Gimli stepped up to Bergel and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Bergel." The man whirled at the touch, his eyes opened wide and his breath coming in panting gasps. "Bergel, what is it, what's wrong?"  
  
Bergel said nothing, only tried to side-step Gimli and walk away. Gimli would not let him go that easily, not when he was this close to clearing his friend's name. "Bergel, please, tell me what is wrong."  
  
Bergel did not stop, but he shook his head fiercely. "I can't, he will hurt me again. He knows what I's have done, he knows everything."  
  
Gimli grabbed Bergel's arm to stop him but then let go when the man let out a small cry of pain. Gimli stared a moment before grabbing the arm again and pulling up the man's tattered sleeve.  
  
A red yet very precise line in the man's flesh met his gaze.  
  
Gimli looked up at Bergel's face. The man's eyes were tightly closed and his teeth were grinding in what Gimli guessed was an effort to keep his face straight and his tongue from saying anything.  
  
"Did he do this to you?" Gimli asked. "The golden-haired elf who killed the others?"  
  
Bergel nodded though he kept his eyes closed. His features suddenly broke and the man let out a gasping sob.  
  
"And now he's gonna kill me," he said before dissolving into tears.  
  
Gimli was shocked. He took a quick look around for himself, making sure that nobody was in their vicinity. He took a hold of both of Bergel's shoulders.  
  
"Bergel," he said loudly to be heard through the gasping sobs. "Bergel," he said again when there was no response. Cautiously, Bergel opened his eyes a slit. Gimli stared straight back at him. He spoke calmly, "Bergel, nothing is going to happen to you. I will protect you myself. You will not be alone until this elf is caught and brought to justice."  
  
Bergel let a pathetic smile crack his lips and he looked at Gimli with what the dwarf could have sworn was pity. "That is nice sir Gimli," he said in between choked breaths, "but he will never be caught."  
  
With that, the man suddenly tore out of Gimli's grip and lurched to the side, stumbling as he did so in his haste to get by the dwarf.  
  
Gimli turned with him, his hand held out in an effort to steady the man and hold him still at the same time. He was well aware of the hysterics the man was going through and he felt that Bergel might injure himself if left alone.  
  
Gimli reached out for Bergel but soon found himself fighting for balance when an unexpected shove from the disoriented man sent him reeling. "No," Bergel shouted before breaking out into a sloppy run hampered by his usual limp.  
  
Gimli steadied himself a second later and immediately started off after Bergel. His main thought was on settling the man down and then getting some more information out of him when he was more clear-headed.  
  
"Bergel!" Gimli shouted after the man, his short stride quickly covering the distance between them.  
  
But just as Gimli was about to grab onto Bergel, the man banked to the left and Gimli easily followed, not thrown in the slightest by the change in the direction. But what stopped him next was not from Bergel.  
  
There was a fraction of a second when Gimli's senses suddenly diverted from Bergel and snapped to something else, but it was already far too late.  
  
A small thread of what felt like fire passed through his shoulder.  
  
Gimli stopped running and forgot where he was for a second, forgot why he was out on the streets of Gondor in the middle of the night running after a man when he should be inside either enjoying an ale with Legolas or discussing light issues with Aragorn.  
  
And then his shoulder exploded.  
  
Or that's what it felt like.  
  
Gimli's body snapped back automatically from where it had pitched forward and he found himself falling to the ground, the force of the impact of fire on his shoulder bearing him down.  
  
When he was down, though he discovered he was not entirely down, he had somehow managed to brace himself with an arm and remain on one knee, Gimli finally thought to look over at his shoulder. And quickly realized why it felt like fire and a battering ram at the same time.  
  
An arrow was lodged through it.  
  
It had gone through and pierced both sides of his arm but had not gone all the way through. Gimli had his tough shoulder-guards and equally tough skin to thank for that.  
  
But even though he now knew what it was, there was one thing that still did not make sense. Where had it come from?  
  
Slowly, Gimli turned his head, his body turning halfway with him. He did not bother to even try to get up, he was not preparing to fight back, he just wanted to know where it came from.  
  
About fifty paces away from him Gimli found his answer.  
  
Legolas stood there, his mighty bow drawn in his hands, another arrow held loosely between his fingertips. 


	18. Chapter 18

Author's Note: Sorry, this update took a bit longer than usual, but writer's block tends to plague me sporadically, anything to make my life more difficult. But anyways, all that is behind us now and we can get on with the show! As always, I love you guys so much for your reviews, and to those who are actually recommending my writing, thank you for the honor, I love being word of mouth! Okay then, I'm sure you've waited long enough for the chapter so I'll shut up now, and my last name's still not Tolkien so hopefully fanfiction will not become a liability anytime soon.  
  
Chapter 18  
  
As Gimli watched, the elf drew the bow string taut once more, an arrow fitted expertly to it. But before Gimli could even bring himself to say anything, before he could call out to his friend and ask him what he was doing, Legolas' form wavered slightly and he blinked.  
  
The elf paused for a moment, and then his arms went slack, bringing the bow and arrow down from their readied position. Legolas blinked again.  
  
"Gimli?"  
  
Gimli finally pushed himself up from the ground, gritting his teeth against the pain radiating from his arm as he did so. He turned all the way around to face the elf properly. As he turned, something in the back of his mind noted that Bergel was standing still behind him, his face pale and drawn. But Gimli could hardly be bothered with him right now.  
  
"Legolas?" Gimli finally said as he steadied himself, his voice cracking as he spoke.  
  
"Gimli," Legolas said again, "did you not feel it?" Legolas stopped and looked down at the bow and arrow still held in his hands. He glanced up and stared right at Gimli's shoulder, at the arrow piercing through him before dropping his gaze to his own hands again. He dropped his weapons.  
  
"Gimli," he said one more time, his voice soft and terror stricken.  
  
The dwarf closed his eyes and grabbed a hold of the front shaft of the arrow with one hand. Taking a deep breath and steeling himself, he deftly snapped the arrow head off. As quick as he had been, he could not help the small cry that escaped from his lips at the wave of fire that passed down his arm and through his chest.  
  
He re-opened his eyes in time to see Legolas take an unsteady step towards him and then stop, uncertain.  
  
"Legolas," a voice called out from behind him.  
  
Legolas did not even turn, he could not tear his eyes away from the arrow shaft still lodged in his friend's shoulder.  
  
A hand placed itself on the elf's shoulder, but he did not even flinch to acknowledge it. "Legolas," the voice started again, "you should not be up." But the voice faded away as Aragorn took in the scene before him. He saw Gimli standing a small ways off from them, his stout form trembling as he tried to stave off pain. He then saw the broken shaft still in his shoulder, and his eyes traveled slowly to the bow and arrow laying on the ground at the elf's feet.  
  
Faramir came up to the side of Aragorn and Legolas, his own eyes taking in everything quickly. "What has happened?" he asked quietly.  
  
"The gold-haired elf," came a small moan from a distraught Bergel who was now sitting down in the dirt, his knees drawn up to his chest. "Gold- haired elf," he mumbled to himself as he began rocking back and forth.  
  
"Aragorn," Gimli gasped out, stumbling forward a step. "It is not what you think."  
  
"It is my fault," Legolas interrupted him. He finally took his gaze away from Gimli and turned to look straight into Aragorn's face. "I am the killer."  
  
Aragorn's expression did not change, revealed nothing about whether he believed nor disbelieved the elf, but he did draw his hand away from his shoulder and took a small step back, his eyes glinting hard as he scrutinized something only he could see. Behind him, Faramir's face was openly doubtful.  
  
"No," Gimli panted, taking another step forward, "do not listen to him Aragorn, he is not in his right mind."  
  
Legolas said nothing, but Aragorn stepped away from him, immediately making his way for Gimli. "Please," he told the dwarf, "sit down and let me see to your wound."  
  
Gimli complied, but he continued talking as he did so. "Legolas does not know what he is saying, it is not his fault."  
  
"We will figure that out later," Aragorn cut Gimli off, his voice unusually terse and near anger. "Right now your shoulder is my largest concern."  
  
Without a word of warning, Aragorn grabbed onto the back end of the arrow that Gimli had not broken off and jerked on it, pulling the shaft cleanly through. Gimli let out another cry at this, one that was more anger than pain, and glared at Aragorn.  
  
"What did you have to go do that for?" he demanded.  
  
Aragorn was busy clasping his hands over the wound to keep blood from pouring out. "Would you have preferred I left it in there?" he responded in a voice torn with many different emotions.  
  
"Faramir," Aragorn called out to the young man still standing beside the elf, "help me get him up and back to the Houses of Healing."  
  
"I can walk myself," Gimli grumbled, pushing Aragorn away. Aragorn ignored the dwarf and kept his place next to him, waiting for Faramir to come up and join them. Faramir, his face still confused and doubtful, came quickly to them. Aragorn glanced up at the elf who was still standing still, his blue eyes still trained on Gimli's shoulder.  
  
"You are to come with us," Aragorn said, "there is a lot of explaining that needs to be done."  
  
"I have already told you all that you need to know," Legolas said softly, his eyes not moving up to meet Aragorn's.  
  
Aragorn let out a breath through clenched teeth. His own anger was growing, not at his friends, but at the situation itself. He was not going to stand by and idly watch all of this happen. He was going to figure it all out once and for all.  
  
"Then if you are the killer you are to stay in my sight until I decide what is to be done with you. That means you are to come to the Houses of Healing with us now." Aragorn's tone was not one to be argued with.  
  
Legolas said nothing and only turned, walking ahead of them straight to the Houses of Healing. He had paused momentarily before stooping to collect his fallen bow and arrow, but now he held them loosely in his hand, as if he truly did not wish to be carrying them at all.  
  
Nothing was said when they all reached the small building that was becoming all too familiar to them and Aragorn quickly and expertly bound Gimli's shoulder. He also mixed together a drink in which he placed several herbs he had on hand and ordered Gimli to drink it, telling him it would help for the pain. Gimli grumbled something about not needing to douse the pain, but he drank it anyway.  
  
"Now," Aragorn said when Gimli had finished his drink and was as comfortable as possible, "will everybody kindly tell me what is happening, starting with why you send for us when you are not even here."  
  
Gimli's eyebrows shot up. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean when you came to get us not a long while ago. You said that Legolas was up and wanting to see me. Yet when Faramir and I came in here he was not here, and you had already left yourself. I had wondered if it was some small conspiracy between you two, but I guess other deeds were afoot."  
  
Gimli's face was a mask of confusion. "I had left because I had already heard what the elf had to say and I must confess that I did not like it one bit. I had hoped that you and Faramir would be able to talk some sense into him." Gimli looked over at the elf leaning against a wall in a corner, his arms crossed over his chest. "Why did you leave?"  
  
Legolas did not look up as he spoke, his gaze trained on the stone floor. "No sooner had you gone than I sensed some evil in the back of my mind. Since there had already been a murder tonight, I assumed that the murderer had not yet gone too far and I had every intention of going out to stop him. But then everything went wrong," Legolas' voice trailed off.  
  
Aragorn was staring hard at the elf. "But if your intentions were to go out and catch the killer, then why are you so quick to say it was yourself?"  
  
"That is what I had wished to talk to you about," Legolas replied, his voice monotone and his eyes still on the floor. "I had already explained to Gimli that I am responsible for the murders."  
  
"And I say that is the most ridiculous tale I have ever heard," Gimli interrupted, struggling to get off of the stone slab Aragorn had put him on. Aragorn held out an arm and held the dwarf back. Gimli looked over at him and glared before settling back down.  
  
Legolas went on as if Gimli had never interrupted and quietly told Aragorn and Faramir what he had told the dwarf, what he had meant to tell them the first time they had come to him. He explained the odd memory loss and then him suddenly remembering and how he had been present for all but one of the murders. He also told them what had happened earlier that night with the mob of men after another murder and how he had been too late to see who had actually done it.  
  
"And then I went to seek him again, I had a strong sense of the murderer," Legolas finished, "but then Gimli was there and I shot him." Legolas still kept his eyes trained on the floor, his voice still quiet and emotionless. "I shot my best friend."  
  
"You see," Gimli declared, "something is wrong with his mind. He admits not being able to remember and he has it in his head that he is responsible."  
  
"And now I am a danger to my own friends," Legolas cut in dryly.  
  
"Danger," Gimli scoffed, "I know your aim better than that elf. If you had wanted to kill me I'd be dead."  
  
Legolas said nothing but finally lifted his eyes, and the darkness that lurked in the depths of them stilled Gimli's tongue. His wound flared up painfully and Gimli shrugged his shoulder absently.  
  
Gimli looked away from his friend and then remembered something else. "But none of this is important at the moment. The important thing is I know who the killer is now."  
  
Aragorn looked over at Gimli. "What? How do you know?"  
  
"It was after I left you two when I had assumed you would come straight in here to find Legolas. I wandered down the streets and ran into Bergel. He told me that the killer has been using him and that he is trying to frame Legolas."  
  
Aragorn frowned. "That is what he said, in those words?"  
  
Gimli thought for a moment. "Those were not his exact words, but that was what I gathered. He said the real killer looks like Legolas and is an elf but not from around here. He's also scared to death of this elf and says he's going to kill him next."  
  
Faramir spoke up for the first time. "Where is this Bergel?"  
  
"He was the man who was behind me in the street," Gimli said absently. Then he looked over his shoulder and towards the empty doorway. "Did he not come with us?"  
  
Aragorn looked behind himself as well. "No, I did not think to ask him to come with us at the time."  
  
A feeling of apprehension overcame Gimli. He climbed off the slab, and this time Aragorn did not hold him back.  
  
"We left him alone, and the killer is still out there."  
  
Aragorn was already moving for the door. "He is our only lead towards the killer." Aragorn stopped and thought of something before exiting the structure. He turned and held out an arm to stop Gimli.  
  
"You stay here, your injury is not healed yet and I do not want you disturbing it."  
  
"Injury or no, there's no way I'm staying idly behind," Gimli declared, "Bergel's a friend of mine, and it's my fault he's in danger, I made him tell me what he knew. I told him we would look after him from now on, that he would be safe."  
  
Aragorn glanced back at Faramir and Legolas who were still standing in the room. "You two stay here," he said after a moment's decision. "We will be back quickly."  
  
Faramir nodded once and Aragorn turned to go, Gimli following after him.  
  
Legolas remained where he was.  
  
His mind was still being overshadowed by some kind of dark menace, but he could no longer trust it. He would not be going out there again, especially with his friends out there. He would not risk putting them in danger. Closing his eyes, Legolas tried to will the feeling away, to clear his mind so that he could think straight. He did not want that hazy and overshadowed feeling to come over him again, the one that had overcome him right before he realized he had shot Gimli.  
  
Faramir went to the door and looked outside it. He could see Aragorn and Gimli moving quickly down the street, hoping to get to Bergel before the killer did. He let out a sigh and stepped back from the doorframe. So much had happened in Gondor in such little time. Aragorn had just barely finished filling him in on all that had been happening and the rising suspicions over Legolas when Gimli had come to get them. For his part, he believed that the elf was responsible no more than Aragorn did. He had gotten to know the elf during the restoration of Ithilien and the two had become friends as they worked together. Though the elf was at times aloof Faramir was confident in his knowledge that Legolas was kind and noble, he would never harm an innocent.  
  
Faramir turned to regard the elf now, who had not moved from his position and was standing with his eyes closed. The man wanted to say something to the elf, to either reassure him or explain something to him, but he did not even know what to say. The elf did not seem approachable at the moment, and it was almost as if he was not quite all there. Something was going on with him, there was no doubt about that, and Faramir was reluctant to disturb whatever he was doing at the moment.  
  
So Faramir looked back at the door, hoping it would not be too long before Aragorn and Gimli returned, hopefully with Bergel. 


	19. Chapter 19

Author's Note: Back again! Oh, and before we start, anyone who has not yet seen Pirates of the Caribbean seriously needs to (I tried to see it for the second time today but it was all sold out, bugger.) That said, I continue to love you guys for your lovely reviews, I am not Tolkien, and here's the new chapter!  
  
Chapter 19  
  
Aragorn and Gimli came back to the spot in front of the Inn where they had last been with Bergel. Distractedly, Gimli looked down and noticed a small puddle of blood on the ground. Not blood from any sort of skirmish or fight, but his blood from being taken unawares by his own friend. Gimli shook his head and looked up, his eyes searching for Bergel.  
  
"Do you know where he could have gone?" Aragorn asked.  
  
Gimli shook his head. "He could be anywhere that he thinks safe." Gimli had a thought. "I'll wager he went back to the Houses of the Kings, probably to look for you. He feels safe with you."  
  
Aragorn nodded. "Let us go there then."  
  
Gimli did not move. "I'll stay to look for him here, in case he is not there. If you do not find him come back here and then we shall think of what else to do."  
  
Aragorn hesitated a small moment before nodding and turning in the opposite direction. He did not run, Gimli had the impression that running was somewhat beneath him now that he was a king, but he was moving quickly enough that he did not have to run. Gimli turned and began his own search.  
  
He first looked inside the deserted Inn, thinking perhaps Bergel thought that it would be a safe place. But not a soul was in there, so Gimli left it quickly and walked to the small alley where he had first found him. There was nobody there either.  
  
Coming back out of the alley and taking a quick look around, Gimli tried to imagine what would occur most logically to Bergel, where he would think to go. After a few moment's of this, Gimli realized that it was futile. He could not think like Bergel anymore than he could imagine what had gotten into that damned elf.  
  
Frustrated at just standing around, Gimli decided to move. He figured that since they had not seen any signs of Bergel coming back from the Houses of Healing that he had most likely gone in the other direction. Gimli set out in that way.  
  
The stout dwarf walked with a quick pace, yet like Aragorn he did not run. Although he admitted that he was not yet above that. He would not suffer to lose any shred of dignity over running, unless it was away from a fight. But he would be more than happy to launch headlong into one. Keeping a tight grip on his axe handle, Gimli moved down the street.  
  
He had not gotten very far when something caught the corner of his eye. He could not discern what it was, but even before he was able to turn to face it properly, he was able to ascertain that it was a threat. Whatever it was was coming towards him fast.  
  
Gimli pivoted, pulling his axe free from where it was held securely to his belt. He brought it up instinctively to protect his face as he turned, and throughout all of this he let out a yell that often worked alone to make an enemy hesitate.  
  
His axe was met squarely by another such blunt object and Gimli had to momentarily close his eyes against the wave of pain that accompanied the jolt to his injured shoulder. When he opened them again, it took him a moment to realize that he did not have to defend any other blows.  
  
"Mister Gimli?"  
  
Gimli finally focused his eyes on the person standing before him, the one who had lunged out of the shadows from behind a building. It was Bergel.  
  
"Bergel," Gimli said, lowering his axe. "We've been looking for you."  
  
"I was hiding again," Bergel admitted, lowering the thick tree branch he had used to attack Gimli, "I don't wants the gold-haired elf to see me. He knows that I told, he knows what I told you and that you told Aragorn."  
  
Gimli nodded. "Yes, that is why we were looking for you. We want to keep you safe and with us. So come back with us to the Houses of Healing and then we will all decide what to do."  
  
Bergel gave a half-nod, but then hesitated, biting his lip. "Is Lord Aragorn to be there?"  
  
"Of course," Gimli answered.  
  
"Is he mad that I's lied to him?" Bergel asked tentatively, his fingers unconsciously gripping the branch tighter.  
  
Gimli shook his head. "No, of course not, he understands why you did it. He knows that you are afraid. But all will be well now, you'll see, we will take care of everything."  
  
Bergel seemed satisfied and complied with Gimli, falling into step beside him as Gimli turned to go back to the Houses of Healing.  
  
"Why did your elf-friend hurt you?" Bergel asked after a moment's silence.  
  
Gimli was slightly taken aback by the question. Partially because he did not have a full answer for it.  
  
"I am not sure," Gimli finally said, "but I think it has something to do with the bad elf who has been hurting you. He has been trying to frame Legolas and Legolas takes his responsibilities and self-actions very seriously. He is not in his right frame of mind."  
  
"No," Bergel agreed, "I's think he is not right either. I's think he feels bad for not helping the girl when he was in the woods with her."  
  
Gimli stopped walking.  
  
"What did you say?" he asked.  
  
Bergel stopped too, his gaze lingering on the road ahead of them before looking back at Gimli. "I says your elf-friend feels bad."  
  
Gimli nodded, but did not say anything. He was too busy looking at the man before him, at the many battle scars he wore, especially the mutilated ears that made it difficult for him to hear.  
  
Yet he had heard Gimli coming easily enough earlier, enough to be able to attack him even though Gimli had not been talking and had been walking uncharacteristically soft. Legolas had been on his case for years now to learn how to walk softly, that Gimli had no hope of ever accomplishing anything by trouncing about so audibly all the time. After so much grief and lessons from the elf over the matter, the dwarf had finally fallen into the habit of walking quietly.  
  
"Are you still afraid of the gold-haired elf?" Gimli asked Bergel, purposely pitching his voice at a much softer register than the one he normally reserved for the near deaf man.  
  
Bergel was looking absently down the road again. "Yes," he answered, "I's be so scared of him. He is very mean. He say that elves has no business so close to men."  
  
A huge alarm went off in Gimli's head.  
  
He gripped his axe tighter, momentarily pleased that he had not secured it back to his belt. It was still free in his hands. That could prove to save him an extra step.  
  
Gimli took a small breath.  
  
"And do you believe him? Do you think that elves and men do not belong together?"  
  
Bergel snapped his gaze back to Gimli, and for a brief moment an almost shrewd look swept through his normally blank eyes.  
  
Gimli let out another cry and brought his axe up as fast as he was possibly able. And he thought he would be fast enough, but the next moment found him fighting for his balance as the heavy axe swung freely through the air, hitting nothing. For Bergel was not standing where he had been a second ago. He had leapt out of the axe's way, his normally bad leg notwithstanding.  
  
"Damn," Bergel commented softly when Gimli had finally settled his balance, "and I almost thought I had you all fooled."  
  
"Your first mistake was thinking you could turn me against my best friend," Gimli replied before taking another mighty swing at the man. But Bergel easily side-stepped this swing too, and Gimli immediately matched his movements with that of Legolas when they sparred together.  
  
He was given no more time for further explanation as Bergel made a grab for the axe. Gimli tried to pull it towards himself, out of Bergel's reach, but a flare of pain from his still tender shoulder stopped him short and Bergel was able to get a hand on the handle of the axe.  
  
"Oh no you don't," Gimli declared, "you must truly be crazy if you think you can pry a dwarf's axe from his hands while he is still breathing."  
  
Bergel's eyes narrowed. "Then I just might have to take it from you when your breath halts." Bergel tugged on the axe, and though it stretched Gimli's wounded shoulder painfully, his grip did not falter.  
  
"Though I find no use for such primitive weapons," Bergel added, letting go of the axe and leaping back and off to the side from Gimli, his hand going behind his own back as he did so. When he faced Gimli again, the dwarf easily spied the blade still red with previously spilled blood held firmly in his hand. And Gimli was able to recognize the designs on it.  
  
"That's Legolas' knife," Gimli replied, outraged at the thought of one of his friend's prized possessions in the hands of this maniac.  
  
"I was hoping it was," Bergel said. "After relieving it from the most recent victim, I was going to plant it conveniently for our Master Legolas again."  
  
A small thought came to Gimli.  
  
"You went so far as to cut yourself in this charade?"  
  
Bergel glanced down at his own forearm, the red line still quite visible on his flesh. "What's one more scar compared to all the ones I already have?" he spat out.  
  
Something else came to Gimli, and it occurred to him to ask, but that thought was wiped from his mind as he hurriedly had to duck and back away from a quick swipe from Legolas' knife that Bergel wielded. Everything still needed to sink into Gimli's mind, he was still used to this man before him being his friend. Bergel had been right, he had fooled everyone.  
  
Gimli returned his own swipe from his axe blade, but Bergel danced nimbly around it. Gimli finally understood something. If he was going to defeat Bergel, he had to start thinking back to the many times he and Legolas sparred together. It had taken Gimli quite a while to learn that he had to use his head when fighting Legolas, he could not swing blindly and expect to hit his target as he would with orcs.  
  
Gimli held the urges to deliver his own blows back and waited for Bergel to administer his own. Because of his much shorter weapon, Bergel was forced to get closer to Gimli and well within range. The only problem was staying out of the way of the blade as Gimli allowed him to strike, waiting for an advantage. Bergel was extremely fast.  
  
After ducking one such swipe from Bergel, Gimli saw his opening. He crouched down low, letting Bergel's own momentum bring him even closer, then the dwarf sprang up, his axe coming up in a mighty swing.  
  
And this time Gimli did not fail.  
  
But it did not work exactly as he had hoped either.  
  
Bergel saw the blow coming and hastily back-pedaled to avoid it, simultaneously bringing down his own weapon. The result was a horrible clash that made both combatants break apart and stand still for a while.  
  
Bergel looked down and plucked at the cloth of his shirt with his free hand. Gimli's blow had not been devastating, but it still had been enough to give him a nice nick that ran the length of his chest, shredding his clothing and subsequent skin underneath.  
  
Gimli looked down at his own injury. His left forearm had been laid open. It was the arm opposite from his shoulder wound, so now he had the joy of fighting with debilitating injuries on both arms. Though it did give him a small measure of grim satisfaction to see Bergel's own injury.  
  
"And how are you going to blame this on Legolas?" Gimli called out.  
  
Bergel looked up and stared at Gimli. "What do you mean?"  
  
"If your intention is to kill me," Gimli answered, "how are you going to pin this one on Legolas? He is not even around."  
  
Bergel snorted. "That matters not. There were a few times when he was not around, yet he was blamed easily enough. And the fool's guilt is enough to make himself believe it."  
  
Gimli's ire flamed at the casual defiling of Legolas' name. Sure, he often called the elf foolish himself, and there were many a time when he damned a plague or so on the stubborn pride of the elf, but that was different, Gimli had earned that right with Legolas. This crazed individual was not even fit to mention his name.  
  
"But you are forgetting one more thing," Gimli finally answered. "Legolas is in the Houses of Healing with Faramir. That's an alibi not even you can ruin with your deceit."  
  
"I still do not see the problem," Bergel replied with a small smile on his face. "I can make it so they do not find your body for days. Do you think they will be able to pinpoint the exact moment that you died?"  
  
Bergel paused to allow Gimli to process that information. Then he smiled again and glanced down at the delicate knife he held in his dirtied hands. "And when the blade is traced back to once again be Legolas', that's going to look awfully bad. Not to mention the grief your friend will feel over your death. He will become even worse than he is now, a wraith of himself. And he will gladly condemn himself to die at the hands of the townspeople in a public execution if he does not kill himself first."  
  
A small flare of panic rose up in Gimli's chest at the man's words. But it was not for himself. His own death was unfathomable to him, he either died or he didn't, and if he did than his problems would be over anyway. No, the panic was for Legolas, because he believed what Bergel said. With the state Legolas was in now, if he thought there was some way he was responsible for Gimli's death, he would surely die himself, but not before suffering unbearable torment.  
  
Gimli's hold on his axe tightened again.  
  
Suddenly, he had the insane urge to want to be rescued by Aragorn.  
  
That was a first, normally he would reject help in a battle even if it was offered to him, he never thought he would be against an opponent that would be too much for him. One way or another, he would come out on top.  
  
But now, he had the thought that Aragorn would be returning to the Houses of Healing at this time after not being able to find Bergel. And if he took the streets, he would have to pass by Gimli and Bergel. If Gimli could hold on a little longer, than Aragorn could do something. Gimli was not sure what, he did not think Aragorn was that much of a better fighter than he, but he was almost sure that with the charade Bergel had set up he would be hesitant of blowing his cover in front of Aragorn.  
  
Ah, but what would that matter anyway? Bergel knew plainly that Gimli would tell Aragorn anyway. The only way he could keep up his facade was if he killed Gimli, and that was the last possibility Gimli wanted to happen.  
  
His mind whirling with tactics and things that could or would happen, Gimli grit his teeth and prepared himself for a fresh onslaught. 


	20. Chapter 20

Author's Note: Okay, I think ff.net is finally working again, so that might be a good thing. And as always I cannot thank you guys enough for all your kind reviews, I will tell you that it definitely helps speeds the writing process along, so thank you thank you thank you thank you! And no, I am not Tolkien, but I believe we deduced I am the reincarnate of a colleague who tried to steal his work, so that might grant me some liberties. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 20  
  
Gimli steadied his stance and rooted himself firmly to the ground. He would not rush Bergel, Bergel would have to come to him. And then he would have to contend with Gimli's rock-like state. He was not going to go down easily.  
  
Bergel straightened and peered at Gimli for a few moments, as if trying to come up with the best way to attack. Just when Gimli began to think that maybe Bergel was not entirely willing to move either, Bergel lunged at him.  
  
Again, the dwarf was caught off-guard by the man's swiftness. It was still difficult to shake the memories of a broken yet kind man. Gimli brought his axe up to meet Bergel's knife, Legolas' knife, but he was still too slow. Even though the dwarf was able to glance off the worst of the blow, his cheek was caught and a fresh nick appeared above his beard. Gimli whirled to meet Bergel, his axe still held in front of him. His stance was defiant, Bergel would have to do more than that to phase him.  
  
Gimli smirked as Bergel paused again. "In all your planning you never considered on how to defeat a dwarf?"  
  
Bergel gave a grim smile. "It did not cross my mind that such a thing would prove to be an obstacle. In that regard, you have your accolades."  
  
Gimli grunted and was about to make another remark when Bergel lunged at him again, on the right. Gimli immediately brought his axe down to meet him, but when it should have been impossible for him to do so, Bergel feinted and instead went for the left. Gimli saw the move, but he could not move fast enough to block it. Legolas' knife sank deep into his unprotected side.  
  
Gimli let out a small cry of surprise and went down to one knee. Bergel whirled away and stood for a few moments, watching. Silently, Gimli berated himself. This was another tactic that Legolas often used, and one he should have been prepared for. It was often the style of an elf to attack with lightening speed and then pull out just as quickly. They did not stay close for hand-to-hand combat. Gimli should have been expecting the feint.  
  
"I imagine it will be a new kind of tragedy to find you slain by the weapon of your best friend. This knife has shown up too often for Aragorn to ignore." Bergel seemed pleased with the situation.  
  
"They would never believe that Legolas would kill me," Gimli grunted through his teeth as he tried to get up again.  
  
"That they would not," Bergel agreed, "had they not already witnessed him to shoot you from behind. The elf is going mad, that much is clear to anybody."  
  
"Because of you," Gimli continued to strain to stand, leaning heavily upon his axe for leverage. "Whatever you are doing to him, I will not let it pass."  
  
"There does not seem to be much you can do about the matter," Bergel replied, watching the dwarf's struggles with a dispassionate eye. Gimli finally gained his feet and stood wearily, having to lean upon his axe to remain upright. Bergel cocked his head slightly to one side. "Though I must say your loyalty is admirable. It is an unfortunate thing indeed to have to die for it." Bergel shrugged. "Just shows that you cannot have faith in anything."  
  
With that, Bergel flipped the knife in his hand so that he was now holding the tip of the blade. Gimli recognized his intent in an instant. He was done with blind rushes, he was going to throw the knife and spill what was left of the dwarf's blood.  
  
Gimli took a breath and waited for the throw, he would try to dodge as best as he could.  
  
Gimli never saw the throw come.  
  
The next instant found his face in the ground as something heavy pushed him down. Gimli cried out again, partly in indignation and partly in pain as his wounds objected to the pressure. He immediately tried to get back up only to find the weight still upon him. Gimli finally pulled his face to the side and opened his eyes.  
  
Golden strands hung across his vision.  
  
The weight then lifted itself from him and the golden strands went with it. And then Gimli was being pulled up. The dwarf had to stare for a moment, his mind suddenly slowly moving.  
  
Legolas stood beside him, and he was glaring at Bergel the same way he had when Eomer had threatened Gimli upon their first meeting. And then Legolas was turning and retrieving his own knife from a crudely constructed wooden pillar holding up a store front behind them.  
  
Legolas turned back, his gaze never leaving the man standing by himself in the street, his mouth opened slightly in a small sign of surprise. This was something Bergel had not planned on.  
  
"An elf I can easily recognize," Legolas was saying. Gimli had to strain to tune in properly to what was going on. "But not when I least suspect it and am currently preoccupied. For that I give you your due, but you forgot that pure instinct outweighs all doubt."  
  
Gimli glanced back at Bergel, and suddenly he understood why Bergel could move so much like Legolas, so much like an elf. He was an elf.  
  
The momentary surprise passed from Bergel's face and his hard glint came back into his eyes. "I thought you were busy being consumed by guilt and going mad," he commented.  
  
"For a moment there I was," Legolas agreed, "but when a threat becomes so strong in my mind and it is focused on a friend of mine, I tend to forget other things."  
  
Legolas paused and glanced askance at Gimli, quickly assessing his wounds before focusing back on Bergel. "And this time I was not fool enough to rush out on my own."  
  
Two figures came forward from where they had been waiting from behind Bergel and grabbed onto him. Bergel did not look particularly surprised by it and he did not bother to fight it. Gimli looked and saw it was Aragorn and Faramir who now had strong holds on the rogue elf.  
  
"Mr. Bergel," Faramir stated, "you are to be placed under arrest and held in a locking cell until matters are thus sorted out and your trial takes place."  
  
Bergel snorted. "Do what you will, I care not."  
  
"Believe me," Aragorn assured him, "you will care."  
  
"Aragorn," Legolas called out as Aragorn and Faramir began to move Bergel down to the small jail that had once held Legolas. "Gimli's wounds need to be tended to."  
  
Gimli grunted. "Please, these hardly qualify as wounds. Go ahead and take him, I will be waiting in my own chambers." Yet as he turned to walk to the Halls of the Kings he wavered and would have lost his balance had Legolas not reacted instantly and steadied him.  
  
"I will go with Faramir," Legolas said, looking up at Aragorn. "You and Gimli go back to the Houses of Healing. He needs it."  
  
Gimli was about to argue some more but a small look from Legolas stilled his tongue. Gimli recognized that commanding look. His best friend was finally back.  
  
Aragorn nodded and Legolas took over from where he left Bergel as Aragorn made a quick assessment of Gimli's wounds on the spot before guiding him to the Houses of Healing.  
  
"You have had quite an interesting night," Aragorn commented as they walked slowly back.  
  
Gimli sniffed. "But did you see Bergel? He did not exactly leave me unscathed."  
  
Aragorn grinned, the dwarf's spirit and arrogance could never be overcome. "I am sure he will be lamenting the day he ever thought to fight a dwarf."  
  
"Aye," Gimli agreed, "especially after thinking he could frame a friend of mine."  
  
Aragorn held his grin, but a sobering thought entered his mind. The dwarf's unshakeable faith in Legolas was something to truly be admired, and not something that he himself could match. Yet there were still many questions to be answered, and he would have to wait until after patching up Gimli once more that night to learn at least some more of the puzzle.  
  
Legolas and Faramir marched their prisoner silently between the two of them. Legolas had been expecting some sort of struggle, but for the most part Bergel was compliant.  
  
It was not until they reached the door of the jail house did Bergel finally speak up. "They still will not be completely forgiving," he commented, catching Legolas' eye. "You think they will be praising your name after this? First assumptions are often lasting."  
  
Legolas hesitated a slight second, but Faramir shoved Bergel's shoulder and pushed him through the door. "The truth will be enough to satisfy any vengeance sought for," he said.  
  
Bergel chuckled, catching his balance easily and then walking himself the rest of the way to the single cell. "Will it now? I suppose we shall simply have to wait and see."  
  
Faramir followed up on Bergel and closed the door after Bergel stepped into the cell. He locked it with the keys and then placed the keys back on their ring on the wall. "That is more than enough from you," he muttered.  
  
Legolas spoke up from where he lingered in the doorway. "Go see to Aragorn and Gimli, see if they need any help. Then come back here, I will watch over Bergel."  
  
Faramir hesitated for a moment. He did not exactly like the idea, but then he saw the look on Legolas' face. The elf's attention was fixed solely on the one behind the bars, and his eyes were smoldering with barely restrained emotion. Legolas had a lot of answers he wanted himself, and Faramir suspected he wanted them first. And since he had been the one put through the most by this individual, Faramir figured he was owed that much.  
  
Giving a short nod, Faramir yanked on the bars once, and satisfied that it was properly locked, left the room silently.  
  
Legolas stepped forward once Faramir was gone, closing the front door behind him. He was finally alone with his adversary, one that had been right under his nose all along.  
  
Bergel watched Legolas as he came closer, stopping at arm's length from the cell. Bergel's manner was relaxed and he leaned easily on the bars that confined him, his forearms resting so that his hands and wrists hung out of the cell.  
  
Legolas regarded Bergel silently for a few moments, once again taking in all of his scars and his dirty clothing. "That is no mere disguise," he finally said, "those scars are real enough."  
  
"And I imagine you would have recognized me right off if I still had the nicely tapered ears," Bergel answered with a note of bitterness in his voice. "We heal easily enough," he continued, "but I suppose disfigurement lasts a while."  
  
Legolas considered. "How long?"  
  
"A long while," Bergel replied. For the first time, Legolas focused on his eyes. There was a depth to them that spoke of great age and what should have been wisdom, but was instead tainted with sorrow and a lust for vengeance. Legolas regarded Bergel again, but this time with a different light.  
  
He was dirty and wore ill fitting and stained clothing that belied his true frame beneath. His dark hair was greasy and matted, but it was long and thick and would have once been a nice feature. His normally stunted posture was clearly a part of the facade as obviously was his intelligence and speech patterns. He had truly gone to a great extent to pass for a bumbling man scarred by war.  
  
"I did not recognize you," Legolas stated, "but not just because of your disfigurements. You cloaked yourself, were able to hide your true essence and nature. That is not a feat done easily, and often ties into abilities of mind control."  
  
Bergel let out a short laugh, immediately picking up on the slight hint Legolas left. "Do not count yourself out all that easily. It is true I cloaked myself from you and Aragorn, he has enough dealings with elves to sense things, but your own grief was your downfall. I admit freely it was my every intention to frame you and drive you apart from your friends, but your own madness and black-outs were all on your own. Grief and guilt in the minds of elves is a funny thing."  
  
Legolas took a small step forward. "You lie. You had to have something to do with it. You cannot tell me that my own guilt would drive me to pierce an arrow through my best friend."  
  
"We are still caught up on that then?" Bergel replied. He shrugged, "I may have misdirected your judgment momentarily with what you were already feeling, but the rest was all yours." Bergel paused for a moment. "But you were not supposed to overcome it that quickly, how did you do that?"  
  
Legolas caught that Bergel was genuinely curious, and seeing as how he could not use it against him, Legolas decided to tell him. "I could feel the threat coming off from you, I just could not understand it. Only when I went to kill you, to stop the threat, did I instead shoot Gimli and begin to doubt my own instincts. I could have sworn that I was shooting directly where the threat was coming from, but I imagine that was when you chose to 'misdirect' me as you say, and I assume that was the final piece in your plan, to truly make me appear mad and drive me from my friends. So when I went back and was left with Faramir, the threat continued to grow in my mind and I could not ignore it, but I also could not give into it, lest something like that should happen again."  
  
Legolas paused and this time he gave Bergel a grin of his own. "But like I said, there was something that you could not foresee and obviously can also not comprehend, and that is the tie I have to my true friends. Now I felt the threat directed straight at Gimli, and it became so that I could not deny it any longer. Even if it turned out to be false again, I had to do something. Only this time, I would bring Faramir along so that he could stop me from doing anything bad."  
  
Bergel looked unimpressed.  
  
"That is enough about what I did," Legolas said, "now I want to know the reason behind all of this. Why do you hate me so?"  
  
Bergel straightened, holding his head high. For the first time Legolas noticed he was roughly the same height as himself. He had always stooped before. "You still believe it to be all about you, do you not?"  
  
Legolas narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"  
  
Bergel sighed, as if he was explaining something to a rather stupid child. "This had nothing to do with you, you just happened to be in the right place at the right time."  
  
Before Legolas could question him further, he heard footsteps approaching. He could easily imagine whose they were, Aragorn and Faramir were coming. Legolas settled himself and waited. They would all hear the story together. 


	21. Chapter 21

Author's Note: Hello again to my wonderful, beautiful, fantastic, special, great readers! Sorry for the slightly long update, I think it was longer than usual, but I had to research something and then I got side-tracked by writing a POTC spoof and yeah, ya'll know how that goes. (And yes, that was a plug, and yes, I have no shame.) But enough about me, except that I still am not Tolkien and am extremely poor so suing me over the usage of his characters will not garner much profit, on with the newness!  
  
Chapter 21  
  
The front door to the small jail building opened and Faramir stepped inside, followed closely by Aragorn. Legolas noticed the lightening of the atmosphere around the men as they came in, morning was almost upon them. Strange, to think that so much had happened in only the course of one night's time.  
  
"Where is Gimli?" Legolas asked almost immediately.  
  
"Resting comfortably in his own chambers in the Halls of the Kings. I took him there and though he was very much against the idea, I told him he had to stay for his own good and rest." Aragorn filled Legolas in on the information.  
  
"I cannot imagine that he would stay all too willingly," Legolas replied.  
  
Aragorn shrugged. "Let us just say that the tea I gave him to relax him had some more potent ingredients. I imagine he will be in quite a temper when he wakes and figures out my ruse, but he really does need his rest." Aragorn glanced over at Bergel for the first time since entering the building. "Vala knows he has been put through more than enough."  
  
Bergel stared back impassively. "I believe his first wound was not of my fault," he replied softly.  
  
Legolas glared at him but said nothing and instead stood back so that Aragorn could come closer. He would let Aragorn conduct the questioning now, Legolas already had much that he had wanted to know.  
  
Faramir remained where he was standing, just inside of the door, and as Legolas moved back behind Aragorn he noted vaguely that the three of them were setting up a triangular position with Aragorn at the apex. It was a common method for hunting, and that seemed appropriate enough for this situation.  
  
"Now Mister Bergel," Aragorn began, "I believe there is much for us all to learn."  
  
Bergel snorted and drew himself up to his full height so that he was on eye level with Aragorn. Aragorn blinked and barely caught himself from taking a step back. Legolas saw the small act of surprise and remembered that out of all of them Aragorn probably knew the least.  
  
"First off," Bergel began, "I would like for you to stop calling me by that hideous name. It was necessary that I undertake an alias that was just as bumbling as my character, but now that you all know you can kindly call me by my rightful name."  
  
Aragorn squinted slightly. "He is an elf," Legolas commented quietly.  
  
Understanding flashed through Aragorn. He had gathered Bergel was not obviously what he appeared to be when Faramir and Legolas had intercepted him on his way back from looking for Bergel. He had seen the tail end of the fight between Gimli and Bergel, but Legolas had ordered them to stay back and in the shadows and let Legolas confront Bergel. As it had happened, he had missed the part about Legolas recognizing Bergel as an elf for the first time.  
  
"Then what would your true name be?" Aragorn questioned.  
  
"Edrahil," the elf said after a slight pause.  
  
Legolas made a sound in the back of his throat and Aragorn turned slightly towards him. "Edrahil was a chief of the elves of Nargothrond, and one who died in the first age. Though you are old I do not feel you are that old."  
  
At which Bergel, or now known as Edrahil, rolled his eyes. "Then it must mean that I am not the first Edrahil, does it not?"  
  
Legolas frowned, but said nothing more. Aragorn turned his attentions back to Edrahil.  
  
"Now that we know what you truly are and who you are, I would much like to know your motives behind our current situation," Aragorn paused as the elf only stared blankly at him. "If you would be so kind."  
  
Edrahil seemed to think about it, "I do not think I shall be so kind," he finally said.  
  
Legolas could not restrain himself any longer. He took a step forward. "Yet you are the killer, you can admit easily enough to that. You killed innocents for whatever type of game you are playing."  
  
Edrahil shifted his eyes over to Legolas, a sly smile tugging at his lips. "And you stood by and watched as I played my game." Edrahil smiled fully when he saw the dismay fill the other elf's face. "Oh yes, I knew you were there that first night. I had thought I would have to kill you as well, but for whatever reason you did not even choose to attack me. That was odd, I will admit, but then thought I could very well use that to my advantage." Edrahil shrugged, "And so I have."  
  
Aragorn took another glance back at Legolas. This was new information to him, and Legolas saw the mild surprise in his face when he looked at him. It was only then did Legolas remember that Aragorn hardly knew anything that had happened, he was mostly running on good faith. Legolas had confessed to Gimli, but Aragorn had never gotten a chance to hear it all for himself.  
  
Deciding that he would finally hear the entire story from Legolas after they were through with questioning Edrahil, Aragorn turned back to face the front, wanting to take over the line of questioning again. Edrahil was still smiling at Legolas and Aragorn waited until he had his full attention again to continue.  
  
"So you have used Legolas," Aragorn started, "attempted to frame him. You admit you are the killer, that you did so for your own purposes. All that is left to know is what those purposes are. It cannot hurt you anymore, you are already to be tried for multiple murders, the only thing it can do is help you, if any such help can be rendered."  
  
Edrahil snorted, easing back off from the bars and looking amused. "And what if I were to say that I desire no such help? The damage has been done, I care not what else happens to me. You can kill me and that will only be a blessing for myself."  
  
Aragorn tried another angle. "Why did you want Legolas to take all the blame if you care nothing for your own well fare? Surely a wise elf such as yourself has no need for such false pretenses."  
  
"True, in the fact that I do not care, though must admit that I still wished to see if it would truly work out as I hoped. All I wanted was to see it through to the end, that was all." Edrahil was not going to be so easily tricked into revealing his motives.  
  
"And did you reach your goal?" Aragorn asked simply.  
  
Edrahil seemed to consider Aragorn's question seriously. Finally he said, "Almost. Though I suspect the ends will meet after my execution or whatever you should have so planned for me. The people are wary enough of Legolas and elves as it is. He will not live in comfort in Gondor after this."  
  
Legolas spoke up again. "Why does my own lifestyle affect you so?"  
  
"Because elves and men do not belong together," Edrahil finally said, fighting to hold back the emotion that tried to break through in his voice. After a short inner struggle Edrahil sighed, "You want to know my motives, that is why. No good can come out of elves and men working together. And in all my years it had never happened again, until I heard rumors of the Fellowship."  
  
Edrahil sighed again, realizing that he was telling them exactly what they wanted to know, but then deciding that it did not matter anyway. He continued. "I had hoped that after the quest was over, whether you failed or were victorious I did not care either way, that all would go back to normal. Men and elves would remain separated and suspicious of one another and the elves would all eventually leave this forsaken place. But then I hear about a new colony of elves being set up in Ithilien, right next to Gondor so that they may be able to help each other. That I could not allow to happen."  
  
"But why," Faramir spoke up for the first time. "What is so wrong with elves and men living together and providing aide for each other?"  
  
Edrahil glanced at Faramir with distaste and snorted. "Because the last time such a thing happened the elves suffered heavy grievances for a land they would then be forced to leave so that the lesser of the two would be able to reign supreme."  
  
"The Last Alliance," Aragorn said softly. Edrahil swung his eyes back towards him and only glowered as Aragorn confirmed, "You were there."  
  
Edrahil sneered at Aragorn. "Yes, I was there. I was there from beginning to end, the whole seven years of it. I watched our two kinds fight together against a common enemy, only I noticed something wrong. It was always my kind that gave and suffered the most. It was the elves who pushed on and cut the way for the humans to blindly follow and think that they were contributing by giving up their own pathetic lives.  
  
"I fought right under my leader, the great Gil-galad, and I watched as he was slain. And as he died I made my way to his side and tried to fend the orcs off from his body before receiving my own grievous wounds. But as I fell next to his body, I hoped that I would die too, that my quest could end with his."  
  
Faramir chose to interrupt. "But how can you hold such disdain for man? If you were there, you must know that it was Isildur who cut the ring from Sauron's hand after Gil-galad and Elendil fell."  
  
Edrahil looked askance at him. "I know that, but that was only after Sauron was wounded from his last fight that cost Gil-galad's life. Had he been at full strength Isildur would never have had a chance to defeat his foe. Yet even after all that bloodshed, even after Isildur stood and saw the carnage laying amongst the fields of Dagorlad, he chose to disgrace the efforts of every soul that had fought and died by keeping the ring. A foolish decision made by a man who forefronted the wasting of Middle- earth."  
  
"And you chose to waste your life being consumed by your own hatred," Aragorn commented softly.  
  
Edrahil let out a short laugh. "That was not a choice of mine, noble heir of Isildur. My choice would have been death, I even hoped for it as I lay broken on the field. But the Vala had a crueler fate awaiting me. I had to live with my disfigurements and scars and watch my own people leave the very place they had given everything to protect."  
  
Edrahil paused and glanced over at Legolas. "I will tell you that I was very much surprised to hear about you. You voluntarily befriended and chose to serve a man, an heir of the most foolish man to ever live nonetheless. And while your own home fell and your own people left, you chose to help improve this place and its people. People who I have proved will turn on you with the slightest hints of provocation. Tell me, when the men came to attack you last night did they even bother to learn what you had to say? Did they choose to believe anything except their own foolish thoughts?"  
  
Legolas said nothing, only stared hard at Edrahil as the other elf gave him a knowing look. "No, they did nothing except follow fears that had been deeply instilled in them. It is in the nature of man to kill what he does not understand. They would have killed you."  
  
Aragorn stepped forward, blocking Edrahil's stare from Legolas. "Once they hear of what has truly been happening they will revere Legolas' name once again."  
  
Edrahil laughed. "Tell him Legolas," he said looking around Aragorn so that he could see the younger elf once again. "Tell him how you have been feeling as of late, how you can always feel their hatred and suspicion. Tell him the true reasons behind why you were so quick to blame yourself for the murders and stood idly by when they died. You wanted them dead just as much as I did."  
  
Legolas knew that Edrahil was merely goading him, that he was trying to plant suggestions in his mind. But even as he knew this and thought over it, he could not bring himself to object all that strongly to it. Perhaps Edrahil was right, perhaps elves and men never could truly live together in peace. There would always be something there between them.  
  
Faramir was watching Legolas as Edrahil talked. He saw the elf cast his eyes down and stare hard at the floor, almost as if he was afraid to face the truth, whatever the truth would prove to be. And this was just what Edrahil wanted, he was still taking advantage of Legolas' unsteady state and planting seeds deep into his psyche so that Legolas might abandon Aragorn and Gondor.  
  
"Legolas," Faramir said quietly. Legolas moved his eyes towards the young man but did not turn towards him completely. "You know from your own experiences that what he says is not true. If nothing else think of me and Aragorn, think of your friends."  
  
Legolas took a breath and Faramir saw his shoulders loosen slightly, but if he was about to say anything he was interrupted by Edrahil.  
  
"I am sure that is more than you need to know," he stated in general, "kindly leave me to my peace now. Even a prisoner is entitled to their privacies."  
  
Aragorn took a few steps back. He nodded. "I will inform you as soon as possible as to when your trial will be. Until then you will be entitled to quarters and rations, but I sincerely hope that you take the time to consider how you wasted your long life in a fool's errand. If you were as loyal to Gil-galad as you claim to be then you would honor and revere what he gave his life for, not destroy it."  
  
With those as his parting words Aragorn turned on his heel and gestured for Faramir and Legolas to follow. Faramir followed immediately, but Legolas gave Edrahil one last look. Edrahil held his gaze with a knowing smile and laughed softly when Legolas finally turned from him and followed the two men out into the now bright light of a new day. 


	22. Chapter 22

Author's Note: Hey, look, I'm alive! Sorry for the long update, but occasionally everything in life collides together and forms one huge fireball of torment and such and one has to wait for the flames to subside. Right then. As always I thank you guys for lovely reviews and I'm still not quite Tolkien.  
  
Chapter 22  
  
The two men and elf walked silently down the still deserted streets of Gondor. It was early morning and nobody had yet risen to begin the day's productivities. A small fact for which Legolas was extremely grateful. Despite knowing that they finally had the true killer caught and behind bars, Legolas still could not shake off a sinking feeling inside of him. And he could not shake off Edrahil's words.  
  
'You think they will be praising your name after this? First assumptions are often lasting.'  
  
Legolas could only too keenly remember the actions of the mob of men last night, the eyes of the father of the murdered girl. Edrahil had been right about at least one thing, they would have killed Legolas had they been given the chance.  
  
Lost in his own thoughts, Legolas barely stopped himself from running into Aragorn when the two men stopped in front of him. Taking a quick glance up, Legolas saw that they had reached the Houses of Kings.  
  
"We have to send out a herald immediately to inform all of the townspeople that the true killer has been caught," Faramir was saying.  
  
Aragorn nodded. "That would be the best thing, yes. But first," and now he turned towards Legolas, "I would like to truly know everything that has been happening. I have been kept in the dark long enough, and as one in my position that is a dangerous place to be."  
  
Legolas looked at him, but Aragorn could tell that he was not entirely focused on him. It seemed that not everything was truly over yet.  
  
With a small nod, Legolas took a step forward, prompting the men to turn and move with him as they walked inside of the structure. The three moved down the long hallway, Aragorn instinctively leading the way and heading towards his informal conference room. Not a word was said until all three were secured inside of the room, the door closed and them seated at the long table.  
  
Haltingly, Legolas told them a slightly censored version of what had been happening to himself and how it tied into the murders. He deliberately left out a great portion of the guilt and lost feelings he had been succumbing to. Not because he did not trust them enough, but because he did not want them to feel that he was weak, or even worse, pity him. He had been able to tell Gimli freely enough, but that was different.  
  
Legolas explained his blackouts and their connections to the murders, how he would be unable to remember where he had gone and what had transpired. But after he explained that, he shifted and told them what Edrahil had told him, how he was able to cloak his true self and influence the minds of others.  
  
It was not a true lie.  
  
He did not say that Edrahil had been the one to cause his blackouts and confusion, he just may have subtly implied it. How could he expect them to look at him as an equal if they knew that it was his own guilt that drove him to such a weak point? It was true enough that it had been Edrahil's work that caused him to shoot at Gimli, so that could be accounted for.  
  
Legolas finished by telling them all that happened last night, not that long ago. Starting with the mob, and his inane urge not to harm them, and ending with his instincts taking over when Gimli had been in serious trouble.  
  
There was a moment of silence as the two men digested what he had just told them.  
  
"But then why were you so quick to condemn yourself for the murders?" Aragorn finally asked. As much as he tried to block it out, Edrahil's words rang in his mind.  
  
'Tell him the true reasons behind why you were so quick to blame yourself for the murders and stood idly by when they died. You wanted them dead just as much as I did.'  
  
Legolas shifted slightly in his seat. "My thoughts and feelings were confused, and I was trying to find the source of it. I just never thought that it could be from an outside force."  
  
He did not bother to tell them about the deep fear he had been harboring that he had simply been doing the killing without any help at all. That was what he was trained to do, after all.  
  
Legolas glanced at Faramir. He was looking at the table before him, obviously deep in his own thought. Legolas had to remind himself that Faramir had only just come into all of this last night. Though he had known about the murders and the possibility of Legolas having a tie into all of it, he had not been around to witness Legolas' beaviour. Which Legolas thought was probably a better thing.  
  
After a few more moments of silence, in which Legolas grew increasingly uncomfortable, he stood from his seat. Aragorn and Faramir looked up at the sudden movement.  
  
"I wish to see to Gimli," Legolas announced.  
  
Aragorn stood as well. "Of course. We have to be seeing to heralds and then figure out what to do about handling Edrahil's affairs. We can meet up again for lunch and discuss what's going to happen."  
  
Legolas nodded and without another word turned to leave the room. When he was free from it and away from the two men, Legolas finally allowed himself to admit why he had wanted to get away from his friends so quickly. He had not wanted to give them time to come up with more questions that would make him backtrack and then reveal what had truly been going on.  
  
Legolas paused briefly when he reached Gimli's door. He listened for a moment, wondering if the dwarf was yet awake. But the sounds of heavy breathing confirmed that he was still asleep. That did not matter, he would merely wait.  
  
Legolas silently let himself in and closed the door behind him, moving across the floor to stand by the dwarf's bed. He looked down at his friend for a few moments. First at his gruff face, which even in sleep looked like he was ready to jump to battle, and then down over his body, taking in the many bandages covering his many wounds. Wounds that were his fault.  
  
More blood upon his hands.  
  
Legolas pulled a chair from the corner over to the bed and sat down easily into it, his elbows resting upon the armrests as he relaxed lightly into the back of the chair. His eyes never left his friend and he was left to thinking as he waited for him to wake.  
  
He did not have to wait long.  
  
Almost as if Gimli could sense that he was there, his head first moved to the side where Legolas sat before his eyes slowly opened.  
  
Though Legolas suspected the tea had to have been quite strong to be able to placate Gimli, injured as he was, Gimli's eyes flashed and focused instantly as soon as he recognized Legolas and he struggled to sit up.  
  
With a quick move, Legolas leaned over and placed a single hand upon Gimli's chest, stilling his movements. "You need to rest," he said.  
  
Gimli grunted but let his head fall back upon the pillow. "Apparently Aragorn has seen to it that I rested enough."  
  
A small smile touched the elf's lips. "And if he had not done so you would be running about like a fool to meet death head on. When one has acquired wounds one has to let his body rest so that they may heal better."  
  
Gimli eyes Legolas. He had not forgotten that it had been the elf in the Houses of Healing last night from his injuries taken from the mob. "You seem well enough."  
  
"That is because I heal faster than you," Legolas said dryly. Then he let a grin creep over his face. "It is one of the many things elves do better than dwarves."  
  
Gimli glared at Legolas and answered with his own retort. "And had it not been for a certain elf running foolishly off straight to a mob none of this would have happened."  
  
Legolas sobered and leaned back in the chair a bit. All mirth was instantly wiped from his eyes. "I know that," he said softly, "and for that I am sorry."  
  
Gimli felt immediately shamed. He had meant for that to be a joke, but obviously it had fallen the wrong way on the elf. "I didn't mean it like that," he started.  
  
"It is well," Legolas interrupted, his gaze fixed on a window beyond the bed. "It is true enough."  
  
"No," Gimli tried to struggle up into a sitting position again, and this time Legolas did not try to stop him. "Turns out it was all for the best, seems to me. The real killer is caught now and we can go back to living our lives peaceful and normal." Gimli paused for a second. "Why did Bergel do it anyway?"  
  
Legolas blinked and brought his eyes back to Gimli, away from the window. "That's right, you do not know." Quickly, Legolas filled Gimli in on what he had missed in Bergel's, Edrahil's, confession.  
  
When he was done, Gimli sat for a moment, for once momentarily speechless. Finally, he said, "And that was how you and Aragorn didn't see him for what he was? He used his mind abilities?"  
  
"It is not uncommon for an elf of his age to develop some sort of mind control. It is just uncommon for there to be an elf his age still in Middle-earth," Legolas answered absently.  
  
Gimli became excited. "But don't you see? All that you have been thinking was your fault, it was really him doing it. The blackouts, the odd feelings, that could easily have been coming from him."  
  
Legolas smiled faintly. "I wish it were that easy," he said quietly. "I will tell you that it was because of him that my arrow," Legolas' voice failed for an instant while he stumbled for words, "hit you in the shoulder."  
  
Gimli waved his hand as if that was an unimportant matter. "Of course," he said, "you would never really do such a thing. I already told you, if it had been in your mind to kill me I would be dead."  
  
Legolas' eyes were once again turned slightly towards the window. A beat passed between them. Legolas did not want to answer to such a statement.  
  
When he finally spoke up again, it was not what Gimli had expected to hear. "I am leaving Gondor tonight."  
  
"What?" Confusion quickly followed by anger passed over the dwarf's face. "That is ridiculous, there is no reason. If anything it will look odd now for you to leave."  
  
"It will look odd for me to leave at anytime," Legolas answered, his voice slightly harsher than a moment before.  
  
"But that's just what Edrahil wanted," Gimli reminded Legolas. "He wanted to drive elves and men apart. If you leave, he accomplished his goal."  
  
A small grimace passed over the elf's face. One that would have been missed had the dwarf not been watching Legolas' face intently.  
  
"I am leaving for my own reasons," Legolas said thickly. Gimli knew the elf well enough to know that his patience was wearing thin. But for what reason?  
  
As Gimli floundered for something to say, something that would knock some sense into the elf, Legolas suddenly shifted his eyes and locked them onto Gimli's. "But I will be back," he said clearly, his words almost sharp. "Before the trial is over I will be back." 


	23. Chapter 23

Author's Note: Finally, an update! Just when you really began thinking I had perhaps dropped off the face of the earth. But worry not, I don't anticipate the next chapter being as long in coming, for I had to beat a nasty case of writer's block with a large stick and I think I finally won. So be happy! Happiness for all! And you know what creates more happiness in the world? Reviews! You never saw that answer coming, huh? Okay then, I'll shut up and let you read now, which makes me wonder if people actually do read these, but whatever. And I still am extremely poor and own nothing, so don't worry.  
  
Chapter 23  
  
Aragorn and Faramir were both gathered inside of the dwarf's bedchambers, the place where the dwarf had spent the whole of the day. Now in the fading light that signaled dusk when Aragorn had chosen to personally bring Gimli his supper, the king found himself at a loss for words.  
  
"But why would Legolas choose to leave now?" Faramir was asking.  
  
Gimli was sitting up fully in the bed, his face twisted in a scowl. "If I knew that I would have told you. That elf has no more sense than an orc these days."  
  
"Why would he not tell us?" Aragorn finally found his tongue.  
  
Gimli shrugged. "Who knows? I don't even know what goes on inside his head. My guess would be that he wanted to make a quiet exit so that there would be no more arguing than was necessary."  
  
"But he did say he would be coming back," Faramir said. It was more a statement than a question.  
  
Gimli nodded. "Aye, that he said. And my trusting his word is the only reason I did not get up out of this bed and hold him down myself. Though if he does not return soon enough for my tastes I shall be forced to hunt him down. Even with Edrahil locked away I still don't like the thought of that fool elf running about by himself."  
  
"It does seem that this is not the best favored time for him to be leaving," Aragorn muttered.  
  
"Apparently he feels no time will be suited best for him," Gimli replied.  
  
While the talk concerning Legolas was taking place, Legolas was not yet gone from the city of Gondor. He had one more matter to see to before leaving.  
  
Skirting along the dimming roads of Gondor in his elvish cloak, Legolas made his way silently to the small jailhouse. Glancing quickly around to make sure nobody saw what he was doing, Legolas quietly lifted the latch to open the door and stepped swiftly inside. He had deliberately come when he knew the single guard would be gone on a short supper break. It gave him at most fifteen minutes alone, but that was all he needed.  
  
Edrahil locked eyes upon Legolas immediately, the dim lighting not proving to be an obstacle for him to know who it was at the door. "I was wondering when you would show up again," he called out gamely.  
  
Legolas pulled the hood back from his face and stepped forward towards the single cell, the last of the fading light from the window waning on his pale hair.  
  
"I have a few words I would wish to say with you," Legolas said lowly in reply.  
  
Edrahil cocked an eyebrow. "Words of wisdom, perhaps? Or just something in general to amuse me."  
  
Legolas' expression did not waver and he allowed a few beats to fall before speaking again. He was not going to let Edrahil think he could control or goad the conversation. Legolas had come here for one purpose only.  
  
"I am leaving Gondor tonight," he began.  
  
Edrahil cut in immediately, his eyes lighting up. "And you will be sorely missed, I assume. Who else will be left for angry vigilantes to turn their attentions towards?"  
  
Legolas again did not respond immediately. "I am leaving Gondor tonight," he repeated himself as if Edrahil had never said anything. "But they are for sole purposes of my own and have nothing to do with your intentions."  
  
Edrahil waved his hand. "Of course, they are for your intentions. Do what you will, I have no say in it." Even with a melodramatic tone plaguing his voice, Edrahil did not bother to keep himself from grinning.  
  
Legolas' composure seemed to waver slightly. "My absence will not help your situation," he began.  
  
"It will only worsen yours," Edrahil finished for him. "Yes, yes, I already know. It is almost funny though, I had not envisioned my victory being this easy."  
  
Legolas took a step back. "I will return."  
  
Edrahil pulled his head back slightly and peered at Legolas as if searching for something. Finally, he said, "Do you really think and feel this way? Do you truly put such stock in the human race? I cannot even begin to fathom your blind faith in this. You think that if you go away and then come back all will be forgotten and you will be a hero once again? My dear prince, have you learned nothing in your years of this life? If you cannot look to your own happenings, look to the past, look to history. There is nothing but death and destruction brought on by the second born. They are a problem of this land, not an aide."  
  
Legolas took another step back. He lifted his hood to cover his head and fully cloak himself once again. "Believe what you wish," Legolas finally said, "I know what I am doing."  
  
Edrahil laughed. "The foolishness of youth! Yet if you lived for five thousand years more I fear you would be just as stupid. Run away now, go to where you feel is safe. Just do not expect to be welcomed back. Even if I myself am already dead and gone, their mindset will not have changed. You are sealing your own miserable fate by even associating with men. If you wish to be wise at all, never return to this place, never come within five hundred leagues of men again."  
  
"I will bear that in mind," Legolas said softly as he turned on his heel and exited the small jail building.  
  
Edrahil watched the younger elf exit, his head bowed and his posture slumped, sure signs of a defeat. Perhaps he would not be returning, perhaps he would actually listen to Edrahil's words.  
  
Edrahil smiled slightly. His impending death would not be in vain after all. Even if the foolish elf did come back, Edrahil knew he would still be treated as a pariah. Men and elves would never live peaceably together again. The only exception being that of the Lady Arwen, but she had given up her immortality. She would die and be quickly forgotten by the limited memories of her mortal people.  
  
Left alone in the impending darkness, Edrahil's thoughts turned to the past, as they so often did. He once again saw his fallen lord lying beside him, the mighty Gil-Galad fallen in dirt that should have been stained with only mortal blood. And then he remembered the moment when he had realized that Gil-Galad's death had been for nothing, for the ring had survived after all, because of men.  
  
Edrahil touched his ruined ears with his slender fingertips. That too, was all for nothing. He should have just died along with his lord so long ago and not have been subjected to living in a world with a disfigurement that would make those of the second born that he ran into assume that he was one of them, or even below them. A creature that was deserving of pity and polite kindness, but never of admiration or acceptance.  
  
The door of the jailhouse rattled open noisily then, freeing Edrahil of his broodings. The insipid guard hesitated just within the door, his eyes fixated on Edrahil. But then he stepped inside and closed the door before seating himself beside it in the lone chair, leaning back easily into it. His expression said that he was not concerned for his own well- being, but rather concerned with the thought of somehow being able to defeat his own boredom for the long night's watch.  
  
Edrahil frowned to himself. He had come by silently and glanced in when Legolas had been momentarily jailed. The guards then had been fearful, aptly awed by the fact that they had such a powerful being encased in what could have proved to be a flimsy cell to an elf.  
  
And Legolas would never have hurt them.  
  
That was the funny part.  
  
Edrahil, on the other hand, would easily and without reservations extinguish this man. Yet Edrahil noticed that even though he was an admitted killer of several of this man's people and his cover blown, he was still not feared. Even as he stood staring at the young guard the man was trying to fall asleep so that his watch may go that much faster. To him, Edrahil did not look like an elf, did not look like Legolas, and thus was not deserving of fearful respect.  
  
He was not going to die like this.  
  
He was not going to be remembered as an aberration of war that wasted his life in the shadows. He would die with the respect that he deserved. And if he had to strike fear deep into the hearts of all the people of Gondor in order to insure a place in the songs and tales that would carry his name on forever, then so be it.  
  
Edrahil could not bear the thought that the people feared Legolas so, that they thought so much more of him, when he was of a weak mind and as harmless as a young pup. It was no longer enough to simply separate man and elves, now he had his own name to look to. Aragorn's words would not prove to be prophetic, Edrahil would not waste his life in a fool's errand. He would be remembered and finally respected.  
  
Edrahil leaned slightly on the bars that held him. For the men had a reason to fear Legolas when he had been held in here. Compared to an elf's strength, they were flimsy. And the only one who might have known this beforehand was Aragorn, but it had never occurred to the king to check the metal of the jail cell in case they should ever house an elf. Legolas may not have tried to break free, and he may not have hurt them, but Edrahil sure would. He would not bother to wait for mortal justice and disgrace himself by subjecting to a public execution.  
  
All he had to do was wait, wait for the darkest hours of the night that would best aide him and make his inferior quarry all but blind. 


	24. Chapter 24

Author's Note: Finally, the long-awaited chapter! Once again, so dreadfully sorry for the delay, but real life is turning into a real be- otch. But this chapter's kind of long, so I hope you enjoy. And as always, I own nothing except for poorly constructed characters.  
  
Chapter 24  
  
The young guard was fast asleep in his chair, his quite audible snores testifying to this fact. Edrahil stood easily, his posture lax on the iron bars before him. He lazily flexed his wrists against the bars, feeling the grit and strength molded within them. Not hardly enough.  
  
Edrahil took one last glance outside of the single window.  
  
Everything was dark, quiet. It was the time of night when it was the most dark, equidistant from when the sun went down to when it would rise again. He had plenty of time.  
  
Edrahil straightened and placed his palms easily against the bars that were right in front of him. Taking a short breath, Edrahil straightened his forearms and pushed.  
  
The bars gave, not as easily as he thought, but they still gave.  
  
Stepping forward, Edrahil braced himself and pushed again. The iron bars screeched in protest, but they still bent before him.  
  
The sounds alerted the slumbering guard. But it was already too late, the last push had created enough room for Edrahil to slip between the iron rods.  
  
He was across the room and at the guard's chair before the young man even had a chance to rise. The elf's hand closed around his throat. There was no time for a neat killing with a blade, he would have to do without.  
  
Gripping tightly, Edrahil jerked the young man's neck simultaneously to the side and back. There was a definite snap, and then the man's body went limp. He had not even had a chance to put up a proper struggle. Edrahil looked down upon him with distaste. Men went down so easily; he had no idea why the elves would have ever thought them to be suitable partners in war in the first place.  
  
Wasting no more thought on the murdered guard, Edrahil crossed the small room and slipped quietly out of the door. He stepped out into the cool darkness and glanced around, feeling the strength he composed. It had been some time since he had allowed himself to focus on his strength, he had been skulking and hiding his true self for far too long. But no more.  
  
Edrahil walked away from the crude jail. His stride was even, his arms loose. He was confident in his mission. Whether he himself lived through the night mattered nothing to him. He had had it, it was all going to end one way or another.  
  
Edrahil walked down the silent street, making his way to the nearest house. It was a servant's quarters, he knew it well, but that did not matter much to him. All he was interested in was how many lives he could take before being cut down himself.  
  
The elf reached the small door and reached out to pull up the latch.  
  
"Go no further!" a voice came from behind him.  
  
Edrahil looked over his shoulder. A man stood behind him, one that looked familiar but not one he could place a name to.  
  
Edrahil was slightly disgusted with himself for not sensing the man's presence earlier, but he let it slide. Likely he would not prove to be much of a distraction for long.  
  
"And just what do you think I am going to do?" Edrahil asked softly.  
  
The man advanced, his sword held out firmly in front of him. "Kill. The only thing you can do."  
  
Suddenly Edrahil remembered why he looked so familiar. It was the father of the first murdered girl, the one that had been so eager to punish Legolas.  
  
"Still sore about that then?" Edrahil finally turned to face the man fully. "It appeared to me that you were ready to place the blame on one who did not deserve it."  
  
"A mistake that can still be righted," the man said.  
  
Edrahil's eyes narrowed. He was already bored with this man. He had no intentions of sparring verbally with anybody tonight. He had his mission, and he was going to perform it to the best of his ability in the short time frame he was sure to have.  
  
Without saying another word, Edrahil lunged forward and grabbed onto the blade of the man's sword. The father jerked back in reflexive surprise, but it was hardly fast enough. Edrahil already had a solid grip and with a small tug of his wrist the sword was wrenched free from its previous owner. Edrahil ignored the small sting of pain from the blade cutting into his palm and shifted so that he was then holding the hilt.  
  
"Ready to reunite with your daughter?" Edrahil asked softly.  
  
The man's eyes widened, and he looked like he wanted to run but dared not to. No matter.  
  
Edrahil took a step forward and pulled his arm back so that he could thrust the blade into the man's soft belly.  
  
"What are you doing?" The soft question came to Edrahil's ears.  
  
Edrahil turned his head slightly, not needing to turn completely to confirm his suspicions.  
  
Legolas stood quietly down the street, his piercing eyes taking in the scene calmly before him.  
  
Edrahil smirked. "Come to watch again?"  
  
Legolas took a step forward. He said nothing, but the expression on his face was mildly curious.  
  
"I knew it," the father whispered. "I knew you were involved in all of this somehow."  
  
Legolas frowned at the words, but he still said nothing and only came forward some more.  
  
"You see how they still poison your name? You will never be able to live in peace with their constant suspicion and contempt." Edrahil was speaking to Legolas but facing the father, the sword held easily between them. He swung it lazily back and forth, almost like a snake preparing to make the deadly strike.  
  
"What are you planning?" Legolas whispered. He was almost at Edrahil's side now.  
  
"Merely watch and learn," Edrahil replied.  
  
"I knew," the man was still muttering to himself. "I knew you had to be involved."  
  
Edrahil drew back. "Or perhaps you would like to do it?" He turned to look Legolas in the eye and offered the sword towards him.  
  
Legolas looked down at the sword, then over at the father. The man's face was a mixture of fear and disgust. Legolas looked back at the sword.  
  
But before he could take it Legolas dropped down to one knee and ducked to avoid a lightning quick blow to the head from the sword that had just been proffered to him.  
  
"Did you really believe me to be that foolish?" Edrahil asked as he swung the sword up again to prepare for another swing. "The noble elfling would never harm an innocent, no matter how much they deserve it."  
  
Legolas threw himself down to his stomach and then rolled to create enough room between him and Edrahil to regain his feet. As Legolas sprang up he reached behind and withdrew the knife he had hidden in the back of his belt. He had intended to not reveal it until he was close enough, but he figured now would be a good time as any since his cover was already blown.  
  
He barely had time to parry the sword with his long knife before stumbling back to try and find better footing. He felt like he was on the defensive and stumbling, and that was a feeling he definitely did not like to have when in a fight.  
  
"I do not know why you insist on protecting them," Edrahil grunted as he swung wildly again. "You just heard his accusations with your own ears."  
  
Legolas ducked and continued to back up.  
  
"He has done nothing to warrant death."  
  
"Except trying to kill you, maybe?"  
  
Legolas had to duck again. "Then the revenge would be mine to decide, not yours."  
  
Edrahil finally paused in his continuing advancement. "Oh, you think it's just him then? You think I was seeking retribution for you?"  
  
Legolas took one more step back and then pulled himself to his full height, solidifying his balance and vowing his stature would remain that way. "I know you hold no concern for me or anybody else."  
  
"If you are smart enough you will learn not to either," Edrahil replied before rushing Legolas again.  
  
Legolas spun to the side, feeling the earth beneath him as he moved. He would not be caught fighting for his footing again. Legolas made one swipe with his knife as Edrahil neared, but it was deftly met by the sword and then thrown off. Legolas kept his grip on the knife but had to recover quickly to avoid the follow-up blow from Edrahil.  
  
The two elves fought in a similar manner for more than a few moments. Edrahil continued to be on the offensive while Legolas was forced to fight defensively. As they continued, it began to occur to him dimly that he might not be able to bring Edrahil down. He was much older after all and had had more experience as a warrior.  
  
Finally, after defending a series of lightning-like blows, Legolas saw an opening and he took it. Edrahil had left his right side momentarily unprotected and Legolas darted forward with his knife held to the side. His intention was to wound, not kill.  
  
But the opening that he was sure Edrahil would not be able to recover from suddenly closed and Legolas found himself swiping at open air and stumbling forward. Reality seemed to suspend for a second while Legolas fought once again to keep his footing. But it came crashing back down the next second when Legolas felt an intense blow to his left shoulder.  
  
Legolas went down.  
  
His palms hit the ground and he tried to keep himself up on one knee, his other leg already working to push him back up.  
  
But another blow, this one to the back of the head, finally brought him all the way down.  
  
Legolas rolled in pain onto his back, his eyes straining to focus so that he may try to avoid the blow that was sure to end his life.  
  
Yet no such blow came.  
  
Edrahil was no longer standing over him, but was already walking away, flipping the sword easily in his hand so that the hilt was no longer the end he was using. It was then that Legolas realized that Edrahil did not mean to kill him, at least not right now.  
  
The older elf caught up easily to the mortal father that had been standing idly by, trapped in somewhat of a daze as he watched the fight taking place before him. It was a few moments before he even realized that Edrahil had left Legolas and was now coming towards him.  
  
Edrahil moved too fast for the father to follow and was suddenly standing behind and to the side of him, his hair clutched in his hand and the long blade positioned over his throat.  
  
Legolas struggled to sit up as he saw Edrahil's new intent.  
  
"There is no need for this," Edrahil was saying. "You waste your efforts on them. They appreciate nothing except for their own lives. See how his eyes now plead for you to save him when before they burned with hatred for you? See how useless and paltry he is?"  
  
Legolas brought himself up slowly to his feet, his eyes fixed on Edrahil and any sudden movements he might make.  
  
"They have just as much right to live as we do," he whispered.  
  
Edrahil snorted. "Hardly. Their talents are used in destroying the forests and all natural beauty that the Vala worked so hard to create."  
  
"You cannot group all of man together," Legolas replied. "Just as they cannot group all of elfkind together."  
  
"They cannot but they will," Edrahil answered simply.  
  
"Just as you are doing," Legolas found his voice growing in volume. "You are creating the same mistakes you fault them for."  
  
Legolas saw his words hit home. Edrahil's face lost its composure for just a second and his form wavered for just that second.  
  
But that second was all Legolas was waiting for.  
  
Twisting his arm, Legolas threw a handful of dirt that he had carried with him on the way up from the ground. It was hardly a deadly move, but it served it's purpose. Edrahil was caught off guard and he jerked his head to the side, his hold on the father loosening.  
  
And while Edrahil recovered Legolas rushed the pair and closed the distance between them. He grabbed onto the man and still using his momentum jerked him away from Edrahil. Legolas and the man fell into a painful pile and Legolas rolled them quickly to the side. His instincts served him well as the sword came crashing down where they had landed right after they rolled out of the way. He had known Edrahil would be stunned, but that by no means meant he was out.  
  
Legolas sprang to his feet, pulling the father up with him. "Go!" he shouted, pushing the man away as he simultaneously spun to meet Edrahil head on. He no longer had his knife with him, but he threw up his arm anyway in an attempt to block the sword's blade. The sword met his wrist- guards, and though they were made of thick leather, he still felt the blade bite into his flesh.  
  
Legolas leapt backwards but refused to get out of the way of Edrahil and the mortal father.  
  
Edrahil pressed forward, swinging with his blade as he did so, but his confusion grew as Legolas would dance to avoid the blow, but then not move to the side or get out of the way.  
  
Edrahil drew himself back and then feinted to the right before going for the left. Whether it was due to the blow he had been dealt on the back of the head before or no, Legolas missed the feint and cried out as the metal created a nice rip in his side.  
  
Legolas doubled over and staggered, but he still would not move to the side.  
  
"Why are you doing this?" Edrahil whispered furiously as he brought his sword down again.  
  
Legolas jerked to avoid it, but was not able to get entirely out of the way. The tip of the blade knicked his back and Legolas grit his teeth against the pain of the new wound.  
  
"Because," Legolas answered through his teeth, "not all men are worthless."  
  
"Name one," Edrahil retorted dispassionately as he momentarily withheld a blow.  
  
"Aragorn," Legolas did not hesitate in his answer.  
  
Edrahil smirked. "You mean the very one who had you imprisoned?"  
  
Legolas was at a temporary loss of words.  
  
Edrahil looked over Legolas' shoulder. "No matter, my quarry is not nearly so noble."  
  
Legolas sneaked a quick glance over his shoulder. Against his command, the father was still standing relatively close, only about twenty feet or so down the street. Legolas swung his eyes back in time to see the muscles in Edrahil's arm uncoil as he prepared to throw the long blade at the man.  
  
Legolas forgot his weariness and pain and summoned up every last ounce of strength he possessed. Legolas used it all in one last desperate rush at Edrahil. He connected with the older elf just as the blade was being let go. Throwing him off-balance, the sword was then too knocked askew and what was once a deadly projectile now fell harmlessly to one side.  
  
Edrahil swore in a strange tongue and grabbed onto the neck of Legolas' tunic. He pulled him forward, off of his feet, and then smashed his fist into his face, knocking Legolas back down to the ground. He followed up the blow by kneeling on Legolas' chest and wrapping his hands around Legolas' neck.  
  
"Why did you do that?" Edrahil insisted, his question more of a furious snarl than a coherent inquiry.  
  
Legolas latched onto Edrahil's wrists and struggled to free his quickly closing airway. But the grip was like iron and no matter how hard Legolas pulled he could not get them to move an inch.  
  
"Why would you do that?" Edrahil hissed again, his hands tightening.  
  
Legolas felt himself begin to panic as his body fought for air. Deliriously, he found himself also wondering just why he did do it. 


	25. Chapter 25

Author' Note: Thank you so much for all of your lovely reviews. I had halfway expected everybody to have given up on me. So in return I have actually updated within a reasonable amount of time! Yea! And to those who loved the action, I must say I did too, hehe. And as always, I'm poor, not Tolkien, and have way too much time on my hands. And now continue!  
  
Chapter 25  
  
Legolas continued to pull at the older elf's wrists. His chest started to heave from lack of oxygen and his vision blurred.  
  
'Why did you do it? Why did I do it?' The questions were the only thing running through his mind.  
  
Finally, an idea came to Legolas.  
  
Twisting his hands into a new position, Legolas began to dig his thumbs into the soft flesh on the underside of Edrahil's wrists, a pressure point. Thankfully, Legolas felt the iron grips loosening. Not a lot, but just enough.  
  
Using what was left of his quickly waning strength, Legolas pulled once more while he continued to press with his thumbs.  
  
Air rushed into his crushed throat.  
  
Legolas took a gasping breath before continuing to pull Edrahil's arms apart. But his efforts were quickly wasted as Edrahil stopped resisting and instead jerked his own arms away, standing in one fluid motion.  
  
Legolas rolled onto his side and choked on his newfound breathing. He had never realized how sweet simple air could prove to be.  
  
As he tried to catch his breath, Legolas peered at Edrahil, wondering if the older elf would do anything else. But Edrahil simply stood, staring down at Legolas.  
  
"You continue to confuse me," he said in a soft voice, his brows drawn together.  
  
Legolas pulled himself into a sitting position.  
  
"There is nothing odd about my motives," Legolas replied in a grating voice. He coughed, trying to clear his throat.  
  
"I truly did not intend to kill you," Edrahil continued as if Legolas had not said anything. "I wanted all elves to live peacefully, far away from the destruction of man."  
  
"Then why not pass over into the Havens?" Legolas asked.  
  
Edrahil brows furrowed some more, as if that was a question Legolas should feel stupid for asking. "Why should we be the ones to run and hide? This is our world, not theirs."  
  
Edrahil sighed and stepped a little to the side, bending down to retrieve his sword. "Like I said, I had no wish to kill you or even harm you. However I see that you are lost with no way of returning. Trust me, you will be better off in the Halls of Mandos, away from all the suffering and pain. You can rest easy knowing that I remain here to clean up the mess the Vala made."  
  
Legolas easily recognized Edrahil's intent and scrambled to get back to his feet, but in a blinding move Edrahil knocked Legolas back down. Legolas sprawled out onto his back, and for a second he looked only straight upwards. His instinct to immediately get back on his feet was quieted as he noticed something. The stars were shining brightly overhead, the clear night causing no obstruction to their silent vigilance. A small sense of calm came over Legolas, and he felt his muscles relaxing. Maybe Edrahil was right, maybe it would be better away from all this, a place where only the stars could bring him comfort now.  
  
Edrahil advanced on Legolas, his sword held high. He saw the elf laid out, his eyes fixed on something above. His arms were stretched out to the sides, as if he was a divine sacrifice willing to meet his destiny. "I will not let it hurt for that long," Edrahil whispered almost to himself.  
  
Legolas' thoughts filtered back to the same things he had been thinking when the mob had surrounded him, ready to end his life. Funny, there were so many people eager to take his life. Yet that would only be justice after all, he had taken many lives himself, sometimes through battle and sometimes through an inability to protect an innocent.  
  
'A warrior does not give up!'  
  
'I never wished to be a warrior. I just want to go to the stars.'  
  
'Gimli will not like this.'  
  
'His life will be easier not having to worry about me.'  
  
Legolas took a deep breath. He could sense Edrahil not too far from him, but he kept his eyes straight up on the stars, hoping that he could fly among them soon.  
  
But a small cry snapped Legolas out of his revelry.  
  
Distracted, Legolas raised his head and looked to see what had happened.  
Edrahil was standing right over him, just as he had suspected, but the sword he had held in his hand was now drooping to the side and his attention was not focused towards Legolas. He had turned halfway, looking behind his shoulder, and Legolas could see something protruding from Edrahil's back.  
  
It was impossible, but it almost looked like the hilt of a sword.  
  
Legolas wondered at this and looked further past Edrahil. There had to have been some sort of mistake or something.  
  
'Aragorn? Gimli?'  
  
Had his friends come to his rescue?  
  
But Legolas saw neither Aragorn or Gimli.  
  
Instead the now familiar face of the father Legolas had been trying to protect earlier was there. And it was his hands on the hilt of the sword, he had been the one to attack Edrahil.  
  
'Foolish human!'  
  
But the angry thought that swept through Legolas was not due to the father stopping his death, but at the fact that the father had just put himself in immediate danger.  
  
Even as Legolas registered all of this, Edrahil was turning some more. The sword in his back was hardly a deterrent at all as he jerked it out of the father's grasp and turned to grab onto his neck, much as he had done to Legolas.  
  
The father's eyes went wide in shock, he had thought Edrahil would go down after such a devastating blow. But apparently it had only served to anger him.  
  
Edrahil threw the man away and down to the ground as if he were no more than a rag doll. And then he dropped his own sword and reached around to rip the blade out of his back. Flipping it into a better grip, Edrahil moved towards the human scrambling awkwardly on the ground.  
  
Instinct overwhelmed Legolas.  
  
Raising up from the ground, Legolas paused in his forward rush only to absently pick up Edrahil's discarded sword. He saw Edrahil's unprotected back, and then saw Edrahil raise his arms to bring the bloodied blade down upon the father.  
  
Legolas only had a second to react, and there was no time for second- guessing himself.  
  
An iron blade sank once more into Edrahil's back.  
  
But this time, it found a much more vulnerable spot.  
  
The father had driven it into Edrahil's mid-back and it had not been straight. But Legolas knew better and went right between the shoulder blades, pushing it through in one easy thrust.  
  
Edrahil faltered.  
  
He turned his head again, but this time he could not bring his body to turn with it.  
  
Dark eyes met blue ones, and the two locked gazes silently for a few moments.  
  
"You finally did something," Edrahil said, "that I can understand."  
  
Legolas felt something tear at him on the inside. "I did not want to."  
  
"I know," Edrahil replied in a softer voice, his throat choking as a small line of blood trickled from his mouth. "You were never a true warrior like me. You chose the life of a hero."  
  
Legolas' mouth opened slightly, but before he could say anything the older elf closed his eyes and slumped forward. Legolas caught onto his falling form and gently lowered him to the ground. He laid him on his side, not wanting to upset the wound in his back any more.  
  
But his cares were for naught as Edrahil's body went unnaturally still and Legolas knew he had stopped breathing. Yet one last glance at Edrahil's face revealed a smoothed expression, all the bitterness and worries erased completely from him.  
  
Legolas stood slowly.  
  
"May you finally find your peace," Legolas whispered in elvish. He touched his right hand to his chest and bowed his head briefly before extending the hand and then lowering it.  
  
"He was right," Legolas heard a voice say.  
  
Legolas looked up and saw the father now standing opposite from him.  
  
"You are a hero."  
  
Legolas only looked at the human. "Come," he said finally, "we need to awaken Lord Aragorn and let him know of what just happened."  
  
"I am indebted to you," the man replied as Legolas turned away. "It may not seem much to you, but I will do all I can to find some way to make up for the damage I have caused you."  
  
Legolas glanced over his shoulder and locked eyes with the father. For just an instant, the man felt a flicker of fear as he glimpsed something he could never fathom, some sort of otherworldly wisdom and sorrow. But the next instant his fears were erased as Legolas let a small smile pull at his lips.  
  
"I am sure you will find a way to repay me twice over."  
  
And then Legolas turned back away and started off down the street towards the Houses of Kings to find Aragorn.  
  
And the man followed behind the elf, a creature he had always somewhat feared, but now was confused by. He would never be able to understand how somebody could hold such compassion for somebody else that had tried everything in his power to destroy him. 


	26. Chapter 26

Author's Note: Okay, this wait wasn't so bad was it? New chapter, still not Tolkien and make no money, enjoy!  
  
Chapter 26  
  
"But I thought you had left Gondor already," Gimli said.  
  
Legolas was sitting in the chair next to the dwarf's bed, the first place he had come to after taking the mortal father to Aragorn and Faramir and telling them all that had just happened. They had gone to see to Edrahil's body already, but Legolas had opted to come straight to Gimli's chambers and rouse the sleepy dwarf.  
  
His wounds were still not tended to, he had told Aragorn the blood had been Edrahil's and not his, and Gimli had noted that immediately. When Legolas had vaguely answered he had been in a fight, Gimli had demanded that he be told the entire tale. Legolas had already told half of it before Gimli finally interrupted.  
  
"I only said I was leaving to throw Edrahil off," Legolas answered. "I knew he would try something, and I wanted him to think he had free reign in which to do it."  
  
"But why tell me? Why did you not just let me know of your plan and we could have both gone after him?"  
  
Legolas sighed. "Because I am afraid you are still not fully healed and I had to tell you because I knew you would then tell Aragorn and Faramir. It was only just in case any of you went to see Edrahil again. He would have been able to read you easily enough and known I was lying in wait for him."  
  
Legolas did not bother to mention that he also did not want to risk another possibility of perhaps harming Gimli or anybody else again. He had to do it on his own just to keep others safe.  
  
Gimli looked like he did not fully believe what Legolas was telling him, but he decided not to press the matter any further. "So then what happened after you came across him and the father?"  
  
"We fought and I killed him before he could kill the man," Legolas answered simply.  
  
Once again Gimli frowned, the elf was still holding information from him. But with a sigh he let it go. Legolas would tell him someday when he was ready, if he ever was at all.  
  
"Now that this is all over and done with will you finally start behaving normally again?" Gimli finally asked.  
  
Legolas smiled faintly. "Only you can insult me while being concerned for me."  
  
"I insult because I care," Gimli replied without hesitation.  
  
"Then I will most definitely remedy myself," Legolas said, "that way you can stop harassing me with your constant worrying."  
  
Though it was meant as a joke, Gimli could sense the seriousness underlying it all. Hopefully Legolas would finally snap out of whatever had been ailing him.  
  
Silence stretched between the two friends as they became lost in their own thoughts.  
  
Just as Gimli was about to make some sort of remark to break the silence that was becoming disturbing, Legolas was staring into space without blinking again, Legolas took a breath and spoke up.  
  
"There is one thing though, that Edrahil said to me before he died, that I cannot shake from my thoughts. He said, 'You were never a true warrior like me, you chose the life or a hero.' It seemed like such an odd thing to say."  
  
"Not at all," Gimli replied immediately, "he spoke the truth."  
  
"But I think that is where my discomfort was coming from," Legolas interjected. He began to speak quickly, his jumbled thoughts spilling from his lips. "I felt so out of place here, like I was wasting to nothing. My whole life I had been trained to be a warrior, whether defending Mirkwood from spiders and goblins or fighting off armies of orcs. That was what I was meant to do, what I was meant to be. But I never felt like I truly fit the role. I would watch those beside me, those who would fight emotionlessly and not keep track of what or how many they slew. And surely I felt the same when fighting the orcs or spiders, but when it came to losing a companion or an innocent in battle, it would threaten to tear me in half. The only thing that kept the grief at bay was the fact that there was always something new to battle, something else to focus upon.  
  
"But after the War of the Ring, there were no more battles, there was nothing for me to do except listen to my own thoughts. So I began to suspect that perhaps I was not meant to be a warrior at all. There had been so many mistakes and failures in my long life, an experienced warrior should not have any failures to their credit. And then when the murders began and I would come across the victims, I could not bring myself to react and break myself from watching them die. Perhaps I was not meant to be involved in any type of warrior act anymore. But that too left me disturbed and the feelings of failure grew even more, because then I knew it was because I did nothing that they died. How can somebody be a true warrior or a hero when they cannot prevent even the simplest of things?"  
  
Gimli remained silent even after Legolas was done speaking. This was the most the elf had ever said to him about his internal feelings. The elf was very aloof in that manner, always acting like nothing affected him and he could rise above anything. But that was not the case at all. Even after hundreds of years of experience, Legolas was still searching for something that nobody could find, the true meaning behind the purpose of existence.  
  
Legolas glanced over at Gimli when the dwarf did not say anything right away. He saw the confusion in the dwarf's eyes and knew that he had finally done it. He had finally let Gimli know that he was just as lost and twisted as somebody like Edrahil. Edrahil had wasted his life trying to avenge for one failure, Legolas had plenty of failures to answer to.  
  
"Legolas," Gimli finally said.  
  
Legolas looked up again and met the dwarf's steady gaze. The confusion was gone, only to be replaced by what could only resemble anger.  
  
"You are such a fool," the dwarf finished.  
  
Legolas was taken aback. That was not what he had expected his friend to say.  
  
"You are not perfect," Gimli continued, "I know you elves have a high- and-mighty complex, yet you are not perfect. Sure, you can heal faster, move faster, and do most things than the rest of us better and are immortal, yet you are still not perfect. You do what you can and cannot be expected to do any more. Out of anybody I have ever encountered in my life, you always try the hardest to rise above anything. That was one of the many things that angered me so when I first met you, because on the outside you do appear perfect. You are cool and precise in battle, you do not lose your faith even in the face of almost absolute death, and yet you still find the time to enjoy the simpler things in life. Why do you think your constant singing was always annoying me so?  
  
"But then I found that I began to look forward to your songs, because if you were singing then there was nothing else that could possibly be going wrong. If this being that was to become my best friend was light- hearted and happy, then I had the faith that there was no reason to care about anything else in the world because nothing that bad could really be happening if you were singing."  
  
Gimli took a breath and waited to see if Legolas would say anything. But Legolas was sitting quietly, staring at Gimli intently.  
  
"And that was when I first began to worry about you, when you stopped singing. I knew that you were becoming unhappy here, but I figured it had to be because of the call of the sea or some other elvish thing I could not fathom. I had no idea that you were festering such foolish thoughts in your head. And if you had confided in me earlier, I would bet my beard on it that none of these doubts would have come to a surface like this. For I would have told you right away that you were stupid for thinking that. Because even though you are not perfect, you are the closest thing to it that I have ever seen.  
  
"No warrior can win every battle. I have had my share of mistakes, same as Aragorn and anybody else in this world. The only difference is that we know it is inevitable, you seem to think you can somehow avoid it. Well you cannot, and if you don't change your line of thinking right now I might have hit you over the head with my axe to knock some better sense into you."  
  
Legolas let out a small laugh and Gimli felt his anger melting. He was furious at his friend for keeping all of this in and allowing it to become so bad he would doubt himself. But when Legolas looked at Gimli again, Gimli saw something in the elf's eyes that lightened his own heart. They were no longer dark and alien, but clearer, as if some sort of haze had been lifted from them. It was the look that Gimli was so used to.  
  
"And if you want me to stop worrying over you, and consequently Aragorn, for do not think you were fooling him any, then stop behaving like an orphaned child that just lost his puppy and can find no other meaning in life for him. Edrahil said you are a hero and nothing like him, and no truer words have ever been spoken. You are too empathetic for your own good, but that is what true heroes are cursed with. I have witnessed that as the biggest similarity between you and Aragorn. If Aragorn loses a patient that he cannot heal he seems as though he just witnessed his entire family die.  
  
"Now quit all this foolishness and go back to being your perfect self that makes me want to laugh and be near you and also hit you at the same time to bring you down to the same level with us mere mortals."  
  
Legolas laughed again, but this time it was a clear sound that Gimli had not heard in such a long time.  
  
Gimli found himself chuckling as well. The elf's mirth always had been infectious. "Now quiet down and let those of us who need it catch some sleep. After you go see to your wounds of course. You can't expect me to believe Aragorn let you get away with those."  
  
Legolas sobered. "I lied and told him it was not my blood."  
  
Gimli rolled his eyes. "As I suspected. But no more foolish actions from you little elfling. I expect everything to go back to how it should be or I will be forced to take drastic action with my axe."  
  
Legolas stood in a smooth motion. "As you wish good sir. I suppose it is selfish of me to deny you your much needed rest."  
  
Gimli laughed at the jest. Not because it was the funniest thing Legolas had ever said, but because his posture had seemed to change as well. It seemed as though some great weight had been lifted from the elf and he was truly going back to his old self.  
  
Legolas turned to leave.  
  
"Wait," Gimli said.  
  
Legolas paused and looked over his shoulder.  
  
Gimli shifted a bit and coughed while he glanced quickly around the room. But finally he said, "Would you mind singing something until I fall asleep?"  
  
Legolas' eyes widened slightly but he turned back around and slipped back into the chair without a word. Gimli settled back into the pillows and closed his eyes as the elf thought for a few moments before coming to a decision and starting a low song. It was in elvish of course, and Gimli did not understand most of it, but the soothing voice of his friend carrying the words effortlessly along the haunting melody was enough.  
  
Legolas noticed that Gimli fell asleep only into the second verse of the song, but he continued to sing until the song was over. It made him feel immensely better just to be singing, and he had not even realized until Gimli mentioned it that he had not been singing as he normally did. That had been a mistake.  
  
When the song was finally done and he had silenced the last lilting note, Legolas did not stand right away. He sat and looked at the face of the dwarf smoothed out in slumber. He snored a bit, but he always snored and Legolas felt a smile pulling at his lips. He remembered the many nights when they had been camping as a fellowship and he was always eager to volunteer to be the night's watch, only because he could never hope to catch any sleep himself with the dwarf snoring away.  
  
Legolas felt a warm feeling of love and longing sweep through him, something he had not felt since the final parting of the fellowship. It was as though his inner sensations had been dead and were just now beginning to come back to life. All because of the complete faith and love from a dwarf that should have very well been an enemy of his.  
  
He must be doing something right.  
  
The End  
  
Author's Note Again: Finally, another story ended! Thanks so much to all my faithful reviewers, you are truly what kept me going. I'd never be able to finish if it wasn't for you guys. And you have no idea how happy it makes me when you guys comment on specific parts or lines of the story, because often they're my favorite as well and I'm so glad when they're picked up on! As for those who were saddened by Edrahil's death, I felt bad for the poor elf too, and again I'm glad that I was able to successfully create a sympathetic bad guy, I love those kinds of characters. But hey, at least Legolas' suffering is over....for now anyway. Yes, in case any of you were wondering, there is another story fermenting in my mind, one that will be Legolas and Gimli centric with cameos by other beloved characters of course. It will be called "From Ancient Grudge", so look for it soon if you want. I guess poor Legolas isn't off the hook quite yet....*evil laughter*  
  
Once again, I love you guys so much! Thank you, thank you, thank you for actually reading and enjoying. If I never manage to get anything published, this will still make writing worthwhile for me. Bye for now! 


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